Unlucky Clover
by DigiExpert
Summary: A chilly night wind blew around her light nightshirt. She could only stare at the intensity of the flames that were lapping at the home that had once been her own... Luck has not dealt her or her son a good hand, so why might taking risks lead to a change
1. The Clock Strikes Tragedy Twice

**Here is something new I've started in between chapters of Windmill into the Fall. Those that were on my mailing list for that fic got a one page sneak preview of this one. I got a lot of positive feedback from that, so I decided to start posting this fic. I hope you all enjoy it. As with my other fic, I'm starting a mailing list for this one as well. So leave an email address if you'd like to be added to it.**

**This fic is set shortly after Dino Thunder ends, just for a time reference. So far, Kimberly is the only character used that is not of my own creation. All other characters are my own creation. **

** Disclaimer: (For this and all future chapters) I do not own Power Rangers or any characters I may use from the television show in this fic. This is just something I enjoy doing on the side. Besides, college kids aren't rich!  
**

**Chapter 1 The Clock Strikes Tragedy Twice**

A chilly night wind blew around her light nightshirt. She could only stare at the intensity of the flames that were lapping at the home that had once been her own. The home that she had built a life in, the home that was now being eaten alive by flaming demons. Her eyes showed no emotions as she cradled her crying son close to her chest. That home had been everything to her, everything she'd ever done was in that home. Smoked billowed from the windows, pouring out, trying to escape the haven that had entrapped it so. She wished she could be like that smoke, free and aloft in the night sky.

Hours later, the remnants of smoke still rose every now and then from the charred foundation. She shifted her weight to make the duty of holding her son slightly more comfortable. He had finally calmed down as dawn lit the sky and fallen asleep in her arms. She was weary and tired and wished for a good bed, but that was not possible at the moment. If only she could be more like her son. He knew nothing of the home he'd once had. He did know he had his mother, and that was all he needed to survive and be happy. It had been so for seven months and would continue to be so.

"Ma'am? Ma'am?" called a firefighter to her.

Without answering, she turned to face him. He only brought her more bad news, more bad news to stack on top of more bad news.

"I'm sorry ma'am. There was nothing we could do. The flames were too strong and the smoke too thick. I'm afraid barely anything remains now. The police detective is waiting to speak with you about the cause of the fire."

The woman loathed the police detectives. The last time they'd visited was only four months ago to tell her of the death of her husband.

**Flashback**

She'd been preparing the evening dinner after a long workout in the exercise room. Her child lay happily in his bouncer seat, shaking a small rattle. Soft music came from the radio. She danced happily around the kitchen as she checked on the lasagna in the oven and then prepared to finish making the salad. These times alone before her husband came home were blissful. They were the calm before the storm in the evenings. Even so, she still put up with him, for now. The couple had been discussing their life and talking had been heading toward divorce. She was hoping things would end peacefully, but she knew the battle over who would keep their son would bring things to a boil quickly.

The doorbell rang, and she looked up from cutting the tomatoes into slices. She hadn't been expecting anyone but her husband at this time. No friends were coming to visit and she knew it was too late for any packages to be delivered. She grabbed a rag and wiped her fingers on it before heading to the door. She left her son where he was, knowing he was safely strapped into his bouncer seat. She quickly ran her fingers through her hair before turning the door knob.

She was surprised to see two policemen standing on her front step. "Can I help you officers?" she asked politely. She was quickly racking her brain to figure out why they were there.

"Ma'am, are you Kimberly Tyree? If so, we must speak with you." The woman noticed that one of the officers appeared to be nervous and fidgety.

"Yes, that's me," answered Kimberly. "Would you like to come inside?"

"I believe that is best Mrs. Tyree," the other officer replied as she opened the door wider to allow the men to enter.

"Please have a seat," she said as she gestured to the couch. "while I go grab my son from the kitchen."

Kimberly racked her mind for the reasons why the officers would be visiting her at this time. She hoped her husband hadn't gotten himself in trouble with the law. They really couldn't afford the court costs and lawyers. Her son looked up at her with expectant brown eyes as she moved toward his seat. He looked so much more like her than his father. "C'mon Nathan. Mommy needs to speak with a few policemen."

She cradled her son in her arms and walked back into the living room, taking a seat in the easy chair across from the two men. Nathan lay in her arms, finding his fingers amusing to suck on.

"Mrs. Tyree, we have some bad news about your husband, Andrew Tyree. Around 4:50 this afternoon his Dodge pickup was struck by a runaway tractor trailer crossing lanes on the freeway. Mr. Tyree was struck in the side of his vehicle, and was crushed between the barrier on the freeway and the tractor trailer. I am very sorry to have to report this news to you, Mrs. Tyree," concluded the officer softly as he took off his cap and bowed his head.

The color drained from Kimberly's face. Andrew… dead? Things hadn't been going well, but he didn't deserve death because of it. The initial shock of hearing the news began to wear off and the reality sink in instead. The tears began to flow and Kimberly lay her son in his playpen before falling to her knees, sobs shaking her body. "No, no…" she cried as she shook her head.

One of the officers nodded to his partner and motioned him to go to the kitchen. The officer left the room to make sure all appliances were off. With a heavy heart he noted the dinner that had been in progress of being prepared before they'd arrived. The table had two places set, and a bouncer set in a place where another table setting could have been. An aroma wafted over the area and the officer headed to the stove, taking out a crispy lasagna before shutting off the stove.

He returned to the living room, and silently took his place on the couch again. He noticed his partner was comforting the housewife. It was truly a pity that she had to find out this way. He hated going on these visits. They were always so horrible and saddening, especially when the parents had a young child. The little boy looked over at him with big eyes, not knowing what was going on. How the officer wished he could be naïve like the baby, and not an all-knowing adult.

It was after eight o'clock when the officers left the Tyree home. Kimberly's tear stained face tried to smile as she bid them adieu, but the smile was strained and only made her appearance sadder. Nathan had fallen asleep in his carrier. He had behaved himself while the officers had been there, crying only once for a bottle. Kimberly had tried to feed him with shaking hands, but found herself incapable of doing so so one of the officers had done it for her. Now that they were gone, she headed for the kitchen, looking sadly at the cold dinner and wilted lettuce. She wasn't hungry for anything; simply looking at the food made her almost sick to her stomach. She scraped the lasagna into the trash and dumped the half made salad on top of it. As much as she simply wanted to break down and cry, she knew that Nathan had to be taken care of first.

As she held him in her arms, she hugged him close to her breast, not wanting to let go for fear of losing him too. He was her pride and joy and she swore on her life that she'd die before allowing him to. She'd adapted the Ranger phrase she'd used so long ago between her friends. _Once a mother, always a mother_ she thought to herself as she walked down the up the stairs of the small two story home. Nathan stirred some, but did not wake as she gently changed his diaper and placed a red onesie on him. As soon as she laid him in his crib, she made her way to her room. She had made it no farther beyond the doorframe before she collapsed in tears.

**End Flashback**

She never thought that terrible cloud over her home would pass. Each day had become a battle to live a normal life. If anything, it was Nathan who kept her sane, kept her moving on a daily schedule instead of wallowing in a pool of self-pity. She was grateful to her son for that, for keeping her on track.

Living in a small town made for a comfortable and peaceful environment to raise a family, but when it came to news, that spread like wildfire. Kimberly could never forget the endless calls she'd received from concerned friends and neighbors. Her sitter had called and told her she'd take Nathan off her hands whenever she needed it. Instead, Kimberly kept Nathan close to her in these times, not wanting him to leave her.

The funeral had been held a few days later, as preparations had quickly been arranged for Andrew. Kimberly allowed her friends to do most of the planning. She lived much of those early days in a haze, working as only a robot could function. She ate and slept only as much as she really needed. The rest of the time she spent pondering life and bringing back old memories.

At the funeral, she'd barely spoken to anyone, only listened to each visitor as they gave their condolences after her husband had been lowered into his grave. She hadn't given any special speech during the ceremony. She noticed the attendees talking in small groups and every so often they'd point to little Nathan. _Probably wondering how I'll raise him on my own_ thought Kimberly. She looked down at her son, who was dressed in a tiny black tuxedo that one of the neighbors had given her. When she looked up again, new visitors had come to speak with her.

**Flashback**

"J-Jason?" she'd stuttered. She hadn't expected any of her friends from home to come all the way here for this. She took one look at who was by his side. "Trini?"

Trini gently wrapped her arms around the young woman, careful not to squash Nathan between her and Kimberly. "Kim, I'm so sorry," she whispered.

Jason joined in on the hug. "Kim, just cry. I can tell you're holding everything back. Just cry and let it go… it'll feel better… I promise."

Kimberly took Jason's advice as the tears fell. He and Trini guided her to a secluded spot away from the guests. Jason took Nathan from Kimberly's arms while Trini placed her arms around her best friend. She rubbed her back, hoping to calm Kimberly.

"I know… I know we were speaking of divorce… but he didn't deserve this. He didn't… deserve to die… like he did. He wasn't a bad person… really he wasn't…." Kimberly continued to sob.

Trini hugged her tightly, and Kimberly continued to cry into her shoulder. She spoke no more, but only released her sadness. She looked up at her oldest friends. As she wiped her eyes she asked, "Why did you guys come?"

"Kim, we couldn't let you go through this alone. We tried to contact the others to come with us, but they were mostly busy with work. They send their condolences though and really do wish that they could have made it," spoke Jason softly as he bounced Nathan in his lap.

**End Flashback**

Jason and Trini had stayed in town for about a month after that, helping Kimberly with her visitors and guests that constantly visited. Many times, Jason would take Nathan off of Kimberly's hands so that she and Trini could spend time together. They'd flown back to Angel Grove at the end of the month and tried to convince Kimberly to return home to there too. Kimberly refused, saying that she still had the house here and her gymnastics studio. She simply couldn't do it, not yet, it wasn't the time. Her friends understood, and welcomed her to their home anytime.

As Kimberly turned to follow the firefighter, she recalled their offer more than anything else. What else was left for her here in West Virginia? She loved the state and the beauty of the surrounding mountains, but it simply wasn't California. She loved the small town and the connection the people of Romney had, but once Andrew had passed, they never seemed to talk to her as much. Bitterly she knew it was because he was a lawyer and she was simply a washed up Pan Globals gymnastic instructor. He had the connections in town, but now those connections were gone forever.

Two men stood together in a huddle, comparing what they'd written down on notepads. The firefighter cleared his throat and the two looked up. Kimberly realized that it was the same two police detectives that had shown up to her house four months ago. She looked expectantly at them.

"Mrs. Tyree, we've been studying the house and what could have caused the fire. We do know that this house was built in 1850 and the wiring system that was installed in 1970 was not done properly. The wires were faulty and could cause a fire. I'm surprised that it didn't happen sooner, given when the wiring was originally installed. We can't prove it as solid fact yet, but our theory is some stray spark set the wiring ablaze."

Kimberly nodded, listening closely. It had been Andrew's idea to buy an older house. He liked the classics and didn't want to buy a new home. He liked a house to have a history behind it, some kind of thrilling story. Come to think of it, he'd never told her the story behind this house, but whatever story had lived there had now died with the ashes.

The firefighter sauntered away, knowing his duty was done. He returned to the fire truck to help his team gather up the hoses before heading back to the firehouse. Noticing the firefighter was gone, one of the officers spoke up. Kimberly realized this one to be the nervous one she recalled from those few months ago. "I'm very sorry, ma'am. Two tragedies have struck you in less than a year and it's not right. Certainly God has had a purpose for this, but it doesn't seem right. You still have a brilliant future in front of you. That gymnastic studio of yours is surely something this town's never seen before that's for…"

He was interrupted by his partner clearing his throat. "My condolences, ma'am," said his partner.

Kimberly noticed the shier officer close up. He wanted to talk to her, but he knew this wasn't part of the duties in his job. The other officer made that plain as day. He had probably seen years of this and one particular action wasn't going to bring out his emotions. He had had to harden up and simply accept what was happening to others. It was his nature.

"Thank you, officers," spoke Kimberly softly. She had to figure out what was next for her and her son. Where would they go? Kimberly knew where she wanted to go, but she had to make sure things were settled first here. By the looks of things, it wouldn't take too long.

A tapping on her shoulders caused her to turn around. One of the neighbors, Mrs. James, had brought some clothing for her to wear and something for the baby. "Here dear. You're going to need these. I've already called around and some of the other neighbors are scrounging up clothes and baby supplies for Nathan, and others are finding items for you."

A small smile crossed Kimberly's lips. Mrs. Jones had always been a kind neighbor and even now she was willing to help Kimberly in her time of need. Kimberly took the clothing that was thrust into her hands and said, "Thank you. It means so much."

"Do you need a place to stay? My husband and I have talked and we're willing to allow you the use of our spare bedroom until you can find another place. Before you say anything, it's no trouble at all. We'll make sure you and the baby are well cared for."

Kimberly couldn't say no. She truly had nowhere else to go. There was Andrew's parents, but she hadn't felt comfortable around them since he'd passed away. The only other option was to live out of a hotel room for a few months. "We'll stay with you."

"Good. You just come on over when you're ready. I've got a good breakfast going and you can have a nice hot shower."

Kimberly gave her a true smile. Some people in this world were simply too kind. For that she was grateful.

**Thus ends the first chapter. I hope to have some good feedback/criticisms from you all. **


	2. Open Heart, Troubled Mind

**Well, here be chapter 2 for everyone's viewing pleasure. I'm very glad to see that a few of my readers from Windmill have carried over, and it's great to see new faces too. I promise that Windmill will be updated later this week, after I get at least another chapter finished for this chapter. Currently, up to chapter 4 is finished and simply in the ranks waiting. You guys all got to meet Trini and Jason in the first chapter, and I'm proud to say that that certainly wasn't their last appearance! More characters will appear in the future. One final note: if you'd like to be put on my mailing list for when I update this fanfic, let me know and be sure to leave an email. Those who are on my Windmill list know that it's well worth it. Not only do you get update alerts from me personally, but there's also times when I offer quizzes with icon prizes, take a few icon requests, or simply send out small previews of the next chapter! Anyway, please enjoy! **

**Chapter 2**

For the next few months, Kimberly worked on settling her affairs and contacting the insurance companies about the home. All the while Mrs. James and her family took care of Kimberly and Nathan. After a few days, Nathan returned to the babysitter's so that Kimberly could work without interference.

It wasn't until the end of the first month that Kimberly made up her mind. She was going to return home to California. Of course, she hadn't made the decision without first consulting Trini. If anything, she knew that Trini would be able to shed some common sense on the situation.

It was late at night when Kimberly made the first call, nearing eleven eastern time. That made it almost eight for Trini, and Kimberly prayed that she was home. She desperately needed some advice before any decisions were made. She dialed the number and waited for someone to pick up. With each passing ring, her heart sank a little. Finally, on the fifth ring, someone picked up.

"Hello? Scott residence," came the masculine voice on the other end of the line.

"Hey Jase, it's Kim. Is Trini around?"

"Yeah she is. Just a sec. Lemme go find her. She's probably at one of the computers again looking over data for God-knows-what."

Kimberly chuckled a little. "All right I'll wait." She heard the phone being set down on the other end of the line and Jason calling throughout the house for his wife. Soon she heard running footsteps and someone picking up the phone.

"Hey Kim," called Trini.

"Trini, I've something serious to discuss that could affect mine and Nathan's future."

"I'm listening, Kim. Go ahead and talk to me about it."

"I'm thinking of moving back to California."

"To Angel Grove?"

"No, not there. I've been doing a lot of research and I'm thinking of moving to a town called San Rio. It's near Angel Grove."

"I've heard of that place," answered Trini as she tapped her chin. "It's supposed to be a quaint little town. I visited there once and it kinda reminded me of Angel Grove."

"I've been talking to a few realtors there and have been searching for houses through the Internet and catalog mailings I've been receiving. It's looking very promising."

"You're not buying a house, are you?"

"No, just renting. I've been looking at a ranch-style house. The price isn't bad. Plus it's near a youth complex which hosts gymnastics among other things. I am sending my resume off to them once I make my decision."

"Kim, what's going to make you happier? Staying there in West Virginia without none of your friends or family, or moving back to California where all of them will pretty much be within an hour's drive?"

"I want what's best for Nathan. I think he'll enjoy growing up near my old friends. Here he only has his grandparents, who have been acting strangely ever since Andrew passed away. I've not seen too much of them."

"Kim, everyone would love for you to move back here. Jason's even promised to help with Nathan, which is quite surprising for him. He'll take on other people's kids, yet doesn't want any of his own yet."

"That's Jason for you," chuckled Kimberly. "Listen what's your email? I'll send you the information on the house I've been looking at."

"It's I can't wait to see what you've picked out."

"Well, if everything works out, Nathan and I will be leaving in two weeks. There's really nothing left from the fire and we have very few items that were given to us. Mostly it's stuff for Nathan. I'll have to buy everything when I move in."

"Hmm… okay."

"Listen, I'll send it to you tonight. I've gotta go now. Nathan's crying and I must go tend to him. I'll talk to you later, Trini."

"All right. Bye Kim."

"Bye Trini."

As Trini hung up the phone, an idea began formulating in her mind. If Kimberly truly was moving here, she'd really need a few items to make life more comfortable. Trini made her way to the bedroom where Jason was in a pair of grey sweatpants and a red tank watching _Gremlins_. Trini could hear him laughing loudly during what she thought was the bar scene. "Jason?" she called as she poked her head in the door.

Jason turned the volume some down on the television and motioned for her to join him in bed. Trini complied and snuggled against him. "What's on your mind?" he asked.

"How did you know?"

"You had that look on your face. You always have an idea when you have that look."

"Well it's just that Kim is thinking of moving back here to California."

"Really? Is she going back home to Angel Grove?"

"No, she's moving to a small town called San Rio."

"Oh that place is really nice. Tommy and I went there once."

"Jason, she doesn't know that Tommy is just a few minutes drive from San Rio and we're not going to tell her that. You know she's not mentioned him in years. Anyway, she's thinking of renting a home there. I'm guessing she's doing that until she can figure out what to do. She says there's a youth complex near there where she could continue her gymnastics."

"So what's your plan?" asked Jason suddenly.

"You know me too well dear. Kim has nothing really from the fire. It destroyed everything. All she has is what was given to her by the neighbors and it was mostly stuff for Nathan and not her. I was thinking that we could surprise her with a few things for when she moves to San Rio. I'm getting the information on the house she's been looking at later tonight so we'll see what we can do. Do you think you could help me call around to other Rangers to see what they'd contribute?"

"Of course. I'm sure they'd be more than willing to contribute a few items to a former Ranger in need."

Later that evening Trini logged onto her computer and checked her email. Sure enough, Kimberly had sent her the information. Trini noticed that she was using a free hotmail account instead of an ISP one. Either she'd never had one, or she'd canceled whatever account she had. Trini looked closely over the listing and then called Jason in to have a peek as well.

"Two bedroom, one bath ranch house. Completely furnished. Small garage and basement. Pets allowed. $800 security deposit ($100 more if having pets). $700 a month. Located in downtown San Rio. References required. Click link for more details." Read the listing. Trini clicked on the blue hyperlink and a new page loaded. The house was being rented through a company in San Rio called San Rio Home Realty.

"It looks okay from the ad," spoke Jason.

"You never can tell with an ad like that though. Oh look they have an online tour of the home," replied Trini as she clicked the link for that.

The couple was taken on a tour of the home, which didn't look too shabby at all. It was quite nice and didn't appear to need any fixing just from a first look. Jason and Trini were satisfied with what their friend had chosen.

Over the next few days, plenty of phone calls were made. Jason and Trini took turns calling old Ranger friends and seeing what they could contribute. Pretty much every Ranger was able to gather something for the home. Trini also contacted the realty company and talked to them about the home personally. She even took a tour of the home one day while Jason was away at work. Feeling satisfied, she sat down a few days later to slip Kimberly an email.

_Kim,_

_I've personally checked out the home you were looking at. It's in excellent condition; you do have a knack for these things. You truly are getting a good bargain. The owners are very nice, as is the realty company. I think you'll have no problems dealing with either of them. I say you should go for it. Good luck!_

_Trini _

Kimberly plopped into the computer chair that evening, frustrated. She still couldn't make up her mind about the home, and she knew that even if she did, there would come the trouble of closing down the gymnastic studio. The thought of that made her cringe. Those parents sent their girls to her so that they wouldn't have to travel clear to Cumberland or Winchester. It was a convenience. She hated to think of what they'd say when she decided.

She connected the dial-up and then began browsing on the Internet. First she checked her email. She'd quickly gotten an account after she'd started staying with Mrs. James. She used to have an actual ISP, but she'd cancelled that a few months ago. Now it was necessary to have one with all the realty searches she was doing. After logging in, she found an email from Trini. She smiled as she read the news, glad to see that her friend had been watching out for her. She checked the clock before dialing the phone.

"Scott residence," came the feminine voice on the other end of the line.

"You are a blessing," spoke Kimberly.

"Hey you don't even know what all I did yet!" protested Trini.

"Knowing you, you did more than just looked at the listing I sent you."

"Is it that obvious?"

"You took a tour, didn't you?"

"Lucky guess for you, but yeah I did. I wanted to make sure you were getting what you needed. After all, you couldn't see it for yourself."

"So you decided you had to see it for me instead?"

"Of course."

"I've a feeling that you're leaving something out that I should know."

"Nope, not a thing," answered Trini cheerfully. She knew Kimberly would never discover her secret no matter how hard she tried.

"I could swear that you're lying to me."

"No matter what I tell you, you'll think that. Anyway, how's Nathan adjusting?"

"He really doesn't seem to notice too much, though he does cry more often. He doesn't seem to enjoy his surroundings too much. I've talked to his sitter about him, but she says he hasn't changed that much. I think it's because he still has all the same toys and equipment there that he's used since he was born. I guess he just doesn't like what the neighbors have given him yet. I did start working on his baby book again since his old one burned."

"Do you need any of the pictures you sent Jason and I? I'm more than willing to make copies and give you back the originals."

"You don't have to."

"I will. Just you wait and see."

Kimberly laughed. "Listen Trini, I should go. I don't want to run up the long distance calls on Mrs. James' phone bill."

"Bye Kim. Let me know your decision when you make it."

"I will. Bye."

Kimberly hung up the phone and then sat on the floor with Nathan. She'd laid him there to play while she worked. He was on his stomach, trying to lift his head up. He couldn't do so for very long though. Kimberly picked up one of his new favorite rattles and held it out to him. He grasped it in his tiny hands, pulling it to his mouth to suck on. _What's best for you little one? What's best for the both of us? I really want to move back home. I miss everyone. I want you to be able to grow up with family surrounding you. I don't think that will happen here. Help me out little one. I wish you could talk. Then we could make the decision together._

Nathan looked up at the being in front of him. He felt worry emitting from her body, and reached his arms out in front of him to be picked up. His mother soon complied, and he was snuggled against her breast, cradled in her arms. He cooed up at her, reaching out to grab her hair in his hands. His mother laughed at his antics and knew at once what her decision should be. She smiled down at Nathan, who continued to babble at her.

**I think we all know what Kimberly's decision is. Oh and I must give credit to one of my friends, Natalie, who named the baby. His full name is Nathan Andrew Tyree, should anyone wonder. Anyway, until next update!**


	3. Goodbye

**Since I finally finished writing chapter 6, I decided to post chapter 3 for all of you to read. I'm trying to keep a backload on hand for later, especially once school starts again in exactly one month, though I will go back sooner than that. Thank you all for the kind reviews, and I hope I get more as time progresses. Anyway, enjoy the chapter!  
**

**Chapter 3 Goodbye **

It'd been a month since she'd talked with Trini about making a decision. Now, with the last few bags packed for the airport, things were being set in motion. Kimberly looked around Mrs. James' home, checking for anything she'd left behind as she changed Nathan's diaper and placed him in a pair of brown pants, red t-shirt, and small white tennis shoes. For the final touch, she added a baseball cap that Mrs. James' boys had bought for Nathan. "Aren't you a cutie?" she asked him, smiling.

Nathan looked up at her with those brown eyes of his and smiled. Kimberly picked him up and headed back toward the living room. There wasn't much to take on the plane. She'd bought a large suitcase to hold the last pieces of clothing and necessities. Everything else had been shipped off to Trini's house, whom would bring it to Kimberly's new home in San Rio. She'd even shipped the Ford Explorer that Andrew had owned out there.

_Mental checklist, Kim. Is everything packed. Are you ready?_ Kimberly went over the few items that she still had left in her mind. As far as she could remember, she'd packed everything. The only carry-on she had was Nathan's diaper bag, which also doubled as a purse for her for now. It didn't make sense to carry one with his bag.

Kimberly found the James family in their living room, waiting on her. "Everything packed, dear?" asked Mrs. James.

"I think so," answered Kimberly.

"Zachary, Zane, make sure Kimberly's suitcases get put into the car, all right? Your father will be leaving soon."

"Yes, mom," they answered in unison. Then both twins each grabbed an end to the suitcase and headed out the door.

"Mrs. James, thank you so much for allowing us to stay in your home so long."

"Think nothing of it, dear. It was what the Lord wanted our family to do."

Tears brimmed over Kimberly's eyes, and Mrs. James hugged her. "Now just don't forget us here in ol' Romney, all right?"

Kimberly smiled at her. "I won't. I'm glad you understand why I'm returning home."

"Of course. Friends and family are important. If you ask me, those Tyrees were always fishy." She winked at Kimberly just as the boys returned from outside with Mr. James.

"Ready?" he asked Kimberly.

"I think so," replied Kimberly. She shifted Nathan to a more comfortable position in her arms. Before she could leave though, the boys tugged at her legs. "Bye Mrs. Tyree!" they said in unison.

"Goodbye boys. Thank you for Nathan's baseball cap. He loves it. At least, he hasn't tried to take it off like all his other hats."

Mr. James was quick to usher her to the car and she strapped Nathan into the borrowed car seat. The ride to the airport was silent. Even Nathan didn't cry. When her flight was finally called, Kimberly shook hands with Mr. James, thanking him profusely for the kindness his family had bestowed upon her and Nathan. Again, he repeated what Mrs. James had already told her: It was what the Lord wanted our family to do.

As Kimberly sat on the airplane, she reflected. Goodbyes were the hardest part of leaving. It wasn't any easier to say goodbye to the James' than it was to her gymnastics studio. The only difference was the unhappiness in the parents' tone. They didn't like the fact that she was leaving because it meant that they'd have to travel to find a new studio. She'd tried her hardest to calm them down. Unfortunately, it was harder than she thought. She made sure to give out studio recommendations. The closest studio to many parents was the one that was home to the East West Stars in Rawlings, Maryland.

The girls were so sad. She remembered looking at each of their faces, from the little pre-team girls, all the way to the level seven girls. Most of them left in tears, and it broke Kimberly's heart to see them go, but she knew what she had to do. She couldn't stay here just for the girls. She had to move on, and so would they, eventually.

The next set of goodbyes was to the sitter and her family. Kimberly noticed that the woman's eyes were tinged with sadness. She knew though that the woman had seen many babies come and go, very few that stayed until they were school age. "Thank you for watching my son, Mrs. Burkett," spoke Kimberly formally. "It was great having a dependable sitter to rely on."

Three of her children were in the kitchen with her to say their goodbyes as well. Her oldest daughter, a senior in high school, handed Nathan a new stuffed toy she'd picked out. It was a small Stitch doll. The other children handed items over too—the youngest gave him a new polo with khakis while the other middle child gave him blanket with his name embroidered on it. Kimberly couldn't believe the generosity of the children, but their mother reassured her that it was their ideas alone. Secretly she told Kimberly that the children did it for any of her daycare they'd grown to love dearly.

She glanced out the window seat she'd bought with her ticket. Nathan had nodded off shortly after takeoff, and Kimberly was glad. At least the flight was going to be an easy one. She reached for the book she'd laid to the side and began reading. She got so lost in the romance novel that she didn't realize she was almost to Los Angeles International until the pilot made the announcement. She tucked everything away and zipped up Nathan's diaper bag. Upon landing, she maneuvered her way through the crowds, looking for familiar faces.

"Kimberly! Over here!" called Trini. She'd spotted her friend juggling a baby and a diaper bag through the crowds.

Kimberly scanned the crowd, searching for the origin of the voice when her eyes settled on the small Asian woman. She smiled with relief and made her way toward Trini. Trini took the diaper bag from her shoulders. "Where's Jason?" asked Kimberly.

"He had a few things to take care of. He's going to meet us in San Rio." Trini didn't let on that the reason Jason didn't come was to move a few last minute items into Kimberly's home. Trini looked Kimberly over and noticed the slight rings under her eyes. "Trouble sleeping?"

"Yeah… all those goodbyes. It was just… too hard."

Trini placed an arm on Kimberly's shoulder. "I know," she whispered. "Now let's go get your bags."

"Actually it's just one large suitcase. That's all that we had left after shipping everything off to your house."

The drive from the airport to San Rio took longer than expected. Kimberly had arrived right before rush hour and many times on the freeway there was no movement. Trini called Jason to let him know they were on their way. "Jason, where are you?"

"At the house. Everything's ready. We're just waiting for you and Kimberly."

"We're running a little late. It's the damned rush hour traffic."

"Don't worry about it. Everything's ready. And if you're wondering, I'm alone. Tommy finished helping me an hour ago. He still thinks this is for a college friend of mine. Thank goodness we didn't have to move in any of Kimberly's photos or anything. He would have certainly known then."

"Actually, those are under the seat in your truck."

"Let me guess. I'm supposed to set them up?"

"What do you think?"

"Gotcha," answered Jason.

"I'll see you soon. Love you."

"Love you too," replied Trini before ending the call. "Jason's already there waiting on us and—" she paused as she honked the horn at a vehicle who cut in front of her without warning.

"I can't wait to get settled in. I'm surprised Nathan is sleeping so soundly—" Trini honked the horn again and this time Nathan awoke with a loud cry. "Well, that was too good to be true."

"Sorry. I just get so frustrated with the traffic sometimes. Makes you wish you could just teleport again."

Kimberly chuckled and rummaged through Nathan's diaper bag, pulling out a plastic baggie. Inside were some zwieback. She gave one to her son and he began sucking on it, content for now.

Fifteen minutes later Trini pulled into the driveway of Kimberly's new home. Jason was waving wildly like a little boy from the doorway. His truck was parked beside Kimberly's Explorer. Kimberly unbuckled herself and went to get Nathan out of his car seat, but Jason beat her to it. "Jason, let me warn you…"

"Ew this kid's made a mess with that stick thing," came Jason's moan.

"I tried to warn you. He loves that zwieback," answered Kimberly as she stifled a chuckle. She handed Jason a baby wipe and he cleaned Nathan up, finally pulling him from his car seat.

"Well since the little one decided to delay things, are you ready to see your new home?"

"I suppose just a quick peek. I probably should hit a few stores before they close this evening," said Kimberly as she began walking toward the front door. Trini and Jason shared a knowing look behind her back.

"Here goes," whispered Kimberly as she turned the knob. She stepped inside, and instantly realized that something was different. Actually a lot of things were different, especially when she noticed all the photos sitting on one of the tables against the wall. "I've got a strange feeling you two have been up to more than you've let on."

"Just go and look," encouraged Trini.

Kimberly began combing the rooms, looking closely at each and every item. She noticed that Nathan actually had a real crib and changing table, among other things in his room. He had a dresser full of clothes and plenty of baby supplies stocked up. If that wasn't enough to cause an emotional overload, when she walked in her room, she'd had enough. There was a dresser full of clothing, plenty of toiletries, and even a computer. She fell to her knees, tears overflowing. "Guys… I can't believe… I can't believe it…"she sobbed.

Trini knelt by her friend. "We wanted to make sure you had everything you needed, regardless of the fire," she said softly.

"But… how?"

"I called up a few old Ranger friends and they were more than happy to chip in. If they couldn't contribute, they helped me move everything in. It was a giant team effort," called Jason as he walked into the room with Nathan.

"You guys…."

"It was nothing Kim, really," answered Trini.

"We'll leave you alone for now," added Jason as he handed over Nathan. The couple walked out of the room, leaving Kimberly and Nathan by themselves.

Kimberly looked down at her son, who was still sucking on the zwieback. She noticed that Jason had given him a bib, but that didn't prevent him from making messes. "Well it looks like we're going to have more than we ever thought, little one. What do you think about that? Perhaps making this move to San Rio was a good idea for our little family."

Nathan didn't answer, but he did offer his mother a bit of his slobbery zwieback. Kimberly took this to be a yes to her. She hugged him to her and stayed in the room for a few more minutes before returning to the living room, where she guessed that Jason and Trini were waiting.

As Kimberly emerged with Nathan, Trini and Jason looked up from the couch. "So?" asked Trini tentatively.

Kimberly tapped her chin. "I should have expected it."

"Obviously," snorted Jason.

"Seriously though. I can't believe you two pulled something like this off. I can't even begin to express how much it really means to me."

"Well we couldn't let you move to San Rio as you were. It wouldn't have seemed right for you to have to spend all that money just to have to buy for Nathan and yourself," mentioned Trini.

"But still…"

"No buts. It was nothing and the least that we could do for you," interrupted Jason.

Kimberly decided it was best to keep her mouth shut. There was no winning against the couple. Trini had rubbed on Jason plenty over the years. He could be just as sneaky and devilish as his wife.

"So who's up for some food?" asked Jason.

"Jason!" called a shocked Trini.

"Sorry, but it is about dinner time and I'm starved and there's nothing to eat!"

Trini groaned. "Nice move slick. Thinking of your stomach now of all times."

"Sorry!" answered Jason sheepishly.

**And thus Kimberly has made the cross-country move that will change her life. How exactly will it change, especially with Trini and Jason making sure she adjusts. Tommy's helped her move in, but how long can the secret be kept from him?**

**Next time on Unlucky Clover: Kimberly is off to a job interview and Trini watches Nathan while she's away. Will she get the job and who will she meet along the way?**

**First Quiz! Who will Kimberly meet up with next chapter? All correct guesses will receive an icon made by me. It's taken from "Rocky Just Wants to Have Fun" and is of Tommy diving for a frisbee along with some text. :) **


	4. Resume for Reefside

**I was just so eager to post this chapter, that I began doubly working on the next chapter for backlog, chapter 7, which is almost finished. About the contest: I was very surprised. No one guessed the correct answer, but I was glad I tricked you all into thinking it would be Tommy. He will enter into the picture in a later chapter, but which one I won't say ;) Read on to find out who Kimberly _really_ meets.  
**

**Chapter 4 Resumé for Reefside**

Trini and Jason hadn't left until after dinner that evening. They'd personally shown Kimberly around San Rio and then returned her to her home, where they made sure that everything was in place. Kimberly had wanted to go grocery shopping, but Jason stopped her. "Just wait," he said.

Kimberly was confused by what he'd meant, but she didn't go behind his back. When they returned home, he took her to the kitchen and opened not only the refrigerator, but also all the cabinets. "Jason, you just ate…" began Kimberly as she walked into the kitchen. Then she got sight of the cabinets and refrigerator; both were stocked full of foods for her and Nathan. "What is this?" she asked.

"Food," answered Jason with a big smile. "You couldn't have a house without food."

"When did this happen?"

"Same time everything else did," replied Jason.

"You didn't think we'd set up and forget the food, did you?" asked Trini.

Kimberly laughed. "No, but thank goodness I don't have to go buy any for awhile."

As Kimberly tucked her son into his new crib that night, she couldn't help but smile. Everything was falling into place and she had been welcomed gladly into her new home. So far, the risks she'd taken had worked. San Rio wasn't home, but there were always friends nearby that she could count on.

It was Tuesday morning and Kimberly was getting ready. Today was going to be a very important day. She hummed to herself as she pulled a purple blouse from her closet to go with her black dress pants. Nathan lay on his stomach on her bed, playing with a stuffed turtle. Kimberly kept a close eye on him as she applied some makeup.

Before leaving the house, she made sure Nathan had everything he needed in his diaper bag, especially food for the day, toys, and his diapers. She also made sure she had her resume in a messenger bag as well as the rest of her portfolio. Satisfied, she locked the door and left.

Five minutes later, Kimberly pulled up at the Scott residence. She was going to leave Nathan with Trini for the day. Trini did most of her work at home, so she had readily agreed to take on Nathan while Kimberly was away. Kimberly rang the doorbell. Trini answered, still in a bathrobe and drinking a cup of coffee. "Don't even say it," began Trini.

Kimberly stifled a laugh. She had noticed the cup said "World's Greatest Husband". "Changing roles with Jason?"

"You wish. Moreso like he forget to run the dishwasher last night and this is the only cup left." Trini wanted to change the subject and she so happened to glance down at Nathan. "Aww he's wearing that outfit I got him." Nathan was dressed in a white onesie with a pair of blue overalls over top of it.

"Every time I see him dressed like that I think of a miniature Billy," replied Kimberly.

"But he's a cute miniature Billy," retorted Trini. "A cute miniature Billy that I get to myself all day." Kimberly handed him over, along with his diaper bag.

"There's everything you'll need. His food's in there as well. He gets a bottle every three to four hours, and that jar of baby food is to be mixed in with his cereal for lunch. I fed him at seven-thirty and he was up at seven. My cell number is inside his bag. Call me if anything—"

Trini held up her hand to stop her. "I'll be fine Kimberly. You have more important things to worry about."

Kimberly sighed. "You're right. This is my first time doing this in a long time."

"Well, you look great, but you always have been a great dresser."

"Thanks. I'd best get going."

"Hey Kim?"

"Yeah?"

"Good luck today. I know you're going to do just fine."

"Thanks Trini. I'll be by later to pick up Nathan."

Trini and Nathan watched Kimberly back out of the driveway. Trini waved at the retreating vehicle before taking Nathan inside. "How would you like to "accidentally" get into Mr. Scott's video games?" she asked Nathan in a sickly sweet voice. "Maybe that way he'll learn to finish his chores."

Kimberly searched for a radio station that would calm her nerves. She fooled with the dials while keeping an eye on the road. After awhile, she settled on 103.7. "…and that concludes today's news. Here's a favorite track from across the seas from a former Spice Girl no doubt. Melanie C's "Yeh, Yeh, Yeh." The announcer's faded into the opening of the song. Kimberly found herself nodding to the beat.

_Yeh, yeh, yeh_

_I'm on a mission_

_Yeh, yeh, yeh,_

_If you're with me raise your hands_

_Yeh, yeh, yeh_

_Got no inhibitions_

_It's our decision_

_We're gonna have a good time…_

As soon as Kimberly hit Reefside, she realized she'd forgotten something very important- directions. "Great…" she mumbled. "Now what am I supposed to do?" She knew what she should do would be to call the complex and ask them for directions, but unfortunately the phone number was on the same sheet as the directions. That only left stopping off somewhere and asking. She groaned. She absolutely hated getting lost and then having to ask someone for directions because it was too embarrassing. However, where she had to be was more important than being embarrassed about asking directions. She sighed. She was supposed to be at the office by 8:30 and it was already 8:15 now. She glanced around the street she was on and saw a woman turn around the open sign on her business before returning inside.

Kimberly parked alongside the street and glanced up at the sign above. "Hayley's Cyber Space Café… what an interesting name. Billy would have loved something like this when we were back in high school." Kimberly chuckled to herself before walking up to the door and inside.

She glanced around at the interior as she slowly made her way to the front counter. She noticed how relaxed the atmosphere felt. She saw the computers, the big couch and television, and the stage where a setup of speakers and microphones stood. _The Youth Center of today…_she thought.

"Can I help you?" Kimberly was jolted from her reverie by the voice of the woman she'd seen earlier.

"Yes, actually. I forgot my directions this morning and I need help getting somewhere. I'm not familiar with Reefside."

"You've come to the right person." The woman held out her hand. "Hayley Viktor, information kiosk at your service." Kimberly noticed the warm smile and couldn't help but smiling back.

Kimberly took her hand and shook it. "Kimberly Tyree, lost and confused in Reefside."

"You must be new around here."

"I just moved in to a house in San Rio."

"So where are you looking to go?" asked Hayley.

"I'm looking for the Reefside Youth Sports Complex. I'm supposed to have an interview there at 8:30."

"Really? What are you applying for?"

"Gymnastic coach."

"Well, you're on the right track. Just continue down to the corner at the end of this street and turn left. It should be about the fifth building on your right. There's a big sign out front so it's hard to miss."

"Thanks so much, Hayley." Kimberly looked down at her watch. "Yikes, I'd best be going if I don't want to be late."

"Good luck, Kimberly," Hayley called to her before going back to polishing the glasses for the day. Something in the back of her mind told her that woman looked familiar, but she shrugged it off.

Kimberly followed Hayley's directions, which allowed her to arrive by 8:25, five minutes to spare. Kimberly was nervous. She glanced in her visor mirror, checking herself over one more time. _You can do this Kim.. You've got to get this job. Nathan and you both need the money and this is the job you've always held and loved. Go in there and show them your stuff_. Sighing one last time, she grabbed her messenger bag and stepped out of the car. She slung it diagonally over her shoulder and entered the building.

As she entered, she noticed a receptionist tapping away diligently at a keyboard in a side office. She walked over and knocked on the glass. She breathed a sigh of relief when the woman looked up and smiled at her. "How may I help you?" she asked.

"I'm Ms. Tyree and I have an interview appointment at 8:30."

"Ah yes, you used to."

"What do you mean by that?" asked Kimberly as her face began to fall. Had she come too late. Had there been someone better than her? Had…

"No ma'am. After you telephoned us we received your resume a few days later. You had the job right after the head coaches read your credentials. They've never had anyone like you in Reefside before."

Kimberly sighed in relief. "Thank you," she returned.

"Coach Bane is eager to know when you are willing to start working. He'd also like to meet with you this morning."

"I can start tomorrow, if that's okay with him," began Kimberly. "I would start today, but I have none of my equipment with me."

"Quite all right. I'll call Coach Bane in. He's been eager to meet you."

The secretary dialed the phone and Kimberly heard her pieces of the conversation. "Coach Bane?" _Pause_. "Yes, Ms. Tyree's here to meet with you." _Longer pause._ "Yes I've informed her." _Pause._ "All right, I'll tell her," finished the secretary as she hung up the phone. She turned to address Kimberly again. "He'll be with you in a moment. Just have a seat over there." She gestured to the chairs by the big bay window. Kimberly followed her instructions and sat.

Kimberly glanced around the complex as she waited. It appeared to be divided into areas. There was an indoor soccer area, a tennis area, and a gymnastics area on the first floor. She happened to spot a brochure with a map on it that told her a basketball court and a track were on the upper level, as well as a gym. The place was not something you'd expect in a town like Reefside, but Kimberly was glad for it. It saved her from having to open her own center again.

"Ms. Tyree?" called a masculine voice.

Kimberly glanced up and saw a man dressed in a blue track suit. He appeared young with blonde hair and blue eyes. He extended a hand to Kimberly as she stood, and she took it. They shook heartily. "I'm Coach Bane, but you can call me Blake. I'm one of the head coaches here, and I heard you will be joining as the gymnastics head coach. It's nice to welcome you aboard."

"It's a pleasure to be here," responded Kimberly with a smile.

"It'll be great to have a true Pan Globalist coach here. We've never had anyone like you before, and I remember seeing you participate in the games back in '96. You were simply amazing. Did you continue on after that?"

"No sir, but when I lived in West Virginia, I opened my own center there and training girls of all ages at competition levels. We competed quite a few times."

"I'd expect no less from someone such as yourself. Are you available to begin working tomorrow?"

"Yes, I am. What time should I be here?"

"Our first class begins at 3:30, right after the schools let out with the pre-team and just for fun girls. Then you'll work your way up as the evening progresses. Classes end at 8:30. Mondays and Wednesdays are for the pre-team as well as levels four and five. Tuesdays and Thursdays are for levels 6 and up. Practices rotate on Saturdays, with the fifth Saturday being no gymnastics at all."

"That's a lot to remember," replied Kimberly as the dates swirled together in her head.

"Not really and I have everything written down for you, along with a calendar. Now, you will have an assistant working with you. She's currently a college student, but she's been working with all the students in our previous coach's absence and she's done wonders with the girls. I think you two will get along well."

Kimberly left the youth complex a half hour later, with plenty of papers and information to read over once she was home again. Not only had they discussed the students, but also her pay. She realized she was being paid well, but it wasn't enough for her and Nathan to live on. It would help them scrape by though. However, she knew she was going to need a second job.

Kimberly made a pit stop at the Cyber Café again, more so to relax and take in everything. After all, the place had seemed quite comfy before. She made sure that all of her papers were placed in her messenger bag so that she could look over them while perhaps getting something to drink.

**Before I continue, I don't own Melanie C's song Yeh, Yeh, Yeh. Also, Hayley's last name I got from the Wikipedia file where it said her name was listed as such in the scripts. Whether or not this is true (though it says it was confirmed), I'm stilling using it as her last name.**

**Next time on Unlucky Clover: Kimberly returns to the Cyberspace to thank Hayley before heading back to the Scott's. After she leaves, a certain someone appears, and Hayley enjoys torturing him while he sips a strawberry smoothie...**


	5. Hayley Figures It Out

**So I've been super busy and haven't been writing a lot lately. Actually, I haven't done it for the past 3 days now.. I've had my own problems plus I'm trying to do too much I think. Ah well. This is the reason why I have backup chapters on file. Hope you enjoy this one! **

**Chapter 5 Hayley Figures It Out  
**

As she walked inside, she noticed the place was still empty, except for a few adults that were probably in their early twenties. There were accessing the computers in one area of the room. Kimberly walked over to one of the tables and took a seat, removing her paperwork from her bag and spreading it all over the table. She began studying her material, and jumped when she was tapped on the shoulder.

"I'm sorry," came the voice as she turned around to face Hayley.

"It's all right," replied Kimberly. "I was only studying all this paperwork."

"Did you get that job you mentioned earlier?" asked Hayley.

"Yes, I did. I'm going to be the new head gymnastic coach over at the youth complex."

"That's great. The kids have really needed someone there. That assistant has been running herself ragged, though she won't tell you that."

"I'm glad to be able to help the girls out. It's what I enjoy most."

Hayley took a seat across from Kimberly. Noticing the look on Kimberly's face, she said, "Don't worry about me. The real rush won't start until three when the schools let out. That's when things get crazy in here."

"It's not that. It's trying to figure out what else I can do. I'm going to need a second job this time around to comfortably support my son and myself."

"I'm sure you'll figure something out," encouraged Hayley.

"It's been a rough past few months," muttered Kimberly, with a tone in her voice that prompted Hayley not to inquire further. "I'm afraid I don't have the best of luck at these things."

Hayley sensed that Kimberly had had a bad year so far and she only petted her hand gently. "Well, I would offer you a temporary position here, but I don't need any help until three, and that's when you start work."

"I wouldn't want you to take pity on me like that," protested Kimberly.

"I will keep an ear open for part-time jobs in Reefside. I'll let you know from time to time. What was your name again?"

"Kimberly Tyree."

"Forgive me, but you look really familiar to me. I know I've seen your face somewhere, but I can't place it."

"Pan Globals '96," was the terse reply. Kimberly had been used to this question years ago, but she hadn't expected it and Hayley's comment had caught her off guard. When she'd first finished Pan Globals, she'd been more than happy to reply, but as the years passed, the question had become tiring and repetitive. Every time she answered the question with less and less enthusiasm.

"Wait… you're Kimberly Hart… I remember you from the games. I remember watching the games back in high school," replied Hayley. Then the light clicked, but she made sure to turn that light off. It would do no good here.

"Heh, yeah that's me. Things have changed a lot since then. Anyway, I should probably be going. I need to go pick up my son from the sitter's." Kimberly said no more about Trini. She preferred to keep that information to herself. Something told her this woman knew more than she was letting on. Kimberly gathered all of her paperwork and placed it neatly back into the messenger bag. She offered a hand to Hayley. "Thanks for the chat."

Hayley shook her hand. "Anytime. It's nice actually having someone come in that's moreso my age. Teenagers are nice, but you'd be surprised at some of the things they do."

_Like become Power Rangers all of a sudden_ thought Kimberly, going back to her own days as a teenager. Little did she know that when Hayley was referring to teenagers, she had been referring to the Dino Rangers. As each turned from the other, neither realized that Power Rangers was on the other's mind.

When Kimberly pulled up to the Scott residence, it was after ten. As soon as Trini let her in, she collapsed onto the nearby sofa and sighed. "You would not believe how much paper work there is!"

"I can imagine," offered Trini. "How'd your interview go?"

"I didn't have it. I was hired on the spot because they'd looked at my resume. I guess they saw the Pan Globals and went a bit wild. I start classes tomorrow afternoon."

"Afternoon?"

"Yes. From 3:30 until 8:30 in the evening. Unfortunately, I don't think it's going to be enough to cover Nathan and mine's expenses, but then again I could be wrong. If I took on a part time job though, I'd never see my son."

"Perhaps you should try this for a few months and see how it works out with the budget. If things feel a little tight, then maybe you should try branching out."

"You're right. I suppose I am going a little overboard a bit soon. I haven't even started this job yet! I suppose it's all the stress from having to move."

"Why don't you come over for dinner tonight? You can talk things over with Jason when he gets home."

"Thanks, Trini. How's Nathan been?"

"Quite good. He's taking a nap right now. He played with his toys on a blanket while I worked, barely made a peep."

"How much do I owe you for today?" asked Kimberly.

"Oh Kim, nothing! I did this for you, not for my own personal gain."

"Trini, can I ask you something?"

"Yes?"

"Is there any way you'd consider watching Nathan for me while I'm at work? If not that's okay. I can always look for a sitter here. It'll just be harder to find someone to do it during those times."

"I'd have to talk to Jason about it, but I'm sure it'll be fine. I'm surprised he enjoys Nathan as much as he does. He's never been that friendly toward children before, not that I can recollect."

"I'd pay you just as I would any sitter because it's worth every penny of your time to keep him for me. You just name the price and…"

Trini interrupted Kimberly before she could continue rambling. "Slow down Kim. Let's take this a step at a time. First, we'll talk with Jason, all right? Then we'll work out a plan."

"You're right, as usual," answered Kim as she laughed softly.

**At the Cyber Space**

The afternoon crowd was larger than usual and Hayley found it hard to keep track of all her customers. She knew some of them had to be getting annoyed at the service, but it couldn't be helped. Ever since Trent had left to go to art school, she'd never taken the time to find a suitable replacement. He'd always said he'd help out when he was home on breaks, but that was going to be few and far between.

During one of the duller moments of the afternoon, Hayley glanced up from behind the counter and found herself face to face with Dr. Oliver. "Tommy, what can I do for you? Actually are you here? Those three are gone," said Hayley, referring to the retired Dino Rangers.

"I was… nostalgic?"

"Please," replied Hayley. "You spend most of your day around high school teenagers. Do you really want to spend the rest of the day that way too?"

Tommy groaned. "Not with the way this year's been going."

"Need a strawberry smoothie again?"

"That'd be great. Put it on my tab."

"And you're going to pay the bill when? You've racked up quite a bit between you and the others."

Tommy grinned sheepishly. "I keep forgetting to pay it."

"Hmm well I might just "forget" to continually fix your computer systems," retorted Hayley.

Tommy paled. "No, you wouldn't!"

"Keep running that tab up and it will be so!"

"Don't do that, please, Hayley! I'm begging you!"

"Begging a little too loudly is more like it! You've got a crowd of onlookers," whispered Hayley.

Tommy quickly turned to glare at the onlookers. Some of them he recognized as being his own students. Many were snickering at him. Instead of acknowledging them, Tommy turned back to Hayley. "You planned that."

"Maybe, maybe not."

"Like I believe it."

Hayley shrugged. "Believe what you want. I'm still right."

"Huh?" asked Tommy, confused.

Hayley shoved his smoothie into his hands. "Mission accomplished."

Tommy began to sip his smoothie. "How about a subject change?" he asked weakly.

"Gladly. Have you heard from the kids?" she asked, as though Kira, Ethan, Conner, and Trent were her and Tommy's own children that just moved out on their own.

Tommy almost choked. "Please… don't refer to them that way," he managed to say while trying to dislodge the strawberry piece in his throat.

"But you guys shared some good times together."

"Too many good times," muttered Tommy.

"I heard that!" said Hayley.

"You weren't the one with teenagers always ransacking your house!"

"They didn't ransack your house, Tommy. You're making that bit up."

"Well they overstayed their welcome too many times. I mean come on. Who wants to spend their weekends with their science teacher?" Tommy had a feeling he'd said that a bit too loudly. He could feel the teenagers' eyes focusing on the back of his head.

"They do when they know who their mentor truly is!" hissed Hayley.

"For all the good it does me," scoffed Tommy.

Hayley threw her hands up. "You're in one of your moods today aren't you? The kind where I can't even deal with you."

Tommy shrugged. "Maybe, but then again you didn't have to help a friend move clothing and other items into a home in San Rio."

"Why'd you even do that?"

"Because he's a close friend. And he did say it was a good college pal of his. She and Jason must have been close because Jason doesn't just do that for anyone. And he just had to drag me into it too."

Hayley did a double-take. Either she was right or completely pulling this from thin air, but that woman she'd met this morning had said she'd just moved to San Rio. She hoped that she had been wrong, because all of her assumptions from today couldn't be right. There was no way. Hayley knew Tommy knew Kimberly, but if her hunch was correct, then he wasn't being told that she was back in town, at least nearby.

"Hayley? What's wrong?" asked Tommy after he saw the look.

"Nothing Tommy. Just some strange random thought in my mind."

"If you say so," replied Tommy as he drained what was left of his smoothie. "But sometimes I don't know about you."

**So now Hayley's made the connection, but she's not going to tell. Obviously. :P**

** Next time on Unlucky Clover. Something unexpected happens to Kimberly while she's at Jason and Trini's. How is she going to be able to deal with it? **

**Quiz time: What happens? Winner gets the same icon I offered in the last contest! **


	6. Down the Road

**another update. She was simply eager for the next chapter, and I know a lot of you all are too. I will be sending out icons to psav2005, Harry2, and ConnerKira4ever. Congratulations to the three of you! Enjoy this chapter! **

**Chapter 6 Down the Road**

As planned, Kimberly returned to the Scott house that evening for dinner. Trini was working on preparing the final bits when Kimberly knocked on the kitchen door frame. "Knock knock!" she called cheerfully.

"Oh hey Kim. I'm almost ready and Jason should be home soon."

Kimberly shifted Nathan in her arms. "Anything I can do to help?" she offered.

"I've pretty much got everything ready in here, but you're more than welcome to set the table if you'd like. The silverware is in that drawer over there and the plates and the bowls are in the cupboard above it," instructed Trini gently, pointing out each piece's location.

"I'll place Nathan in his bouncer seat. I left it in the living room."

"You can bring it in here with me. It's no problem."

"Thanks," answered Kimberly as she disappeared into the other room.

When she returned, she asked, "What is for dinner, by the way?"

"One of Jason's favorites—meat lasagna and chef salad." When Kimberly didn't respond, Trini turned to look at her friend. Kimberly had gotten a far off sad look in her eyes. It looked as though she were about to cry. Trini set down her dish rag and went over to her friend. She placed a hand on her shoulder. "Kim?" she asked softly.

Kimberly didn't respond to Trini's call. Her mind had gone back to the night she had found out Andrew had been killed. She had been making the exact same thing for dinner and it had been one of Andrew's favorites too. The night suddenly became vivid again, from the officers knocking at her door, to her collapsing in tears after barely making it through her bedroom door. "Andrew…." She whispered softly.

"…Kim? Come on Kim…" called a different voice, this time masculine.

Kimberly shook her head to clear her mind and looked up to see Jason looking at her, worried. She reached up to touch her forehead, her fingertips trailing along her face. It felt damp and she realized that she'd been crying. For some reason, she thought to herself how glad she was that she hadn't worn mascara today. Again she turned to look at her friends. "I'm… I'm sorry guys."

"What happened Kimberly?" asked Trini.

"Nothing, it's just… it's just that's what I was making for dinner the night that I found out about Andrew."

"I'm sorry Kim," said Jason softly.

"Don't worry about it. It was just a flashback, that's all."

"Are you all right?" asked Trini, looking Kimberly in the eyes.

"Yes, I'm fine."

Trini hugged her friend. "I'm glad," she answered. "We're here to support you though. You can always talk to use about anything."

Kimberly smiled. "Guess I'd better go set the table then, huh?"

_Down the road we never know_

_What life may have in store_

_Winds of change will rearrange _

_Our lives more than before_

"Yeah," returned Trini as she went back to finishing the salad.

Jason came into the kitchen holding Nathan. "I bet one of these days you'll be a Power Ranger just like your mommy," he was saying to Nathan, who simply stared back up at him with curious eyes. Jason had somewhere gotten a plush red Ranger and now Nathan was holding it.

"Jason Lee Scott, what kind of ideas are you feeding that child?"

"Nothing," replied Jason innocently.

"You never give that toy to anyone," remarked Trini.

"Nathan's not anybody though," protested Jason. "He's the son of a Ranger."

"You make it sound all important."

"Well it is!"

"What about when you and I have a child?" questioned Trini.

"Well then he or she will be even more important. They'll be the child of two Rangers," answered Jason softly as he leaned in to kiss Trini.

Trini gently kissed him back. "You're just lucky that you can kiss your way out of trouble. Too bad it never worked on evil villains."

"Hey!"

Kimberly played with Nathan in the living room of the Scotts'. Dinner had just finished, and even though she volunteered to help clean up, Jason and Trini refused to let her. Instead, they sent her to the living room to keep an eye on Nathan. She had rolled her eyes, but complied. Nathan didn't seem to mind. He was playing with his newest toy that "Uncle Jason" (as Jason had taken to calling himself) had brought home. It was a monkey that reacted to its arms being touched. The monkey had small springs in its arms that moved up and down. Once activated the monkey rolled around on the floor to music and monkey noises, backing up at random points. Nathan found the movement hilarious and would laugh every so often.

It wasn't too long before Kimberly was ready to kill the monkey. She had tried distracting Nathan with every other toy in his diaper bag, but nothing worked. He just kept reaching for the monkey and Kimberly had to keep activating it. Otherwise, Nathan curled himself up and began to pout. _Kill the monkey later_ thought Kimberly darkly. _Jason is first to go._

Ten minutes later, Jason and Trini retired to the living room after cleaning up the table and making sure the dishes were washed. They sat on the couch, and Kimberly moved to Jason's easy chair across from them. "How does Nathan like his new toy?" asked Jason.

"He loves it, but I'm going to kill you for giving it to him," remarked Kimberly.

"It can't be that bad, Kim," added Trini.

"You listen to the annoying music for more than ten minutes and we'll see how well you can cope."

Jason just laughed, but Kimberly shot him a glare that shut him right up. "Okay I get the point," he admitted in defeat.

"Besides Jason picking out annoying toys, let's move on."

"Kim, Trini told me about what's going on. First off, a big congratulations are in order on you getting the coaching job. Secondly, we've got to figure out what to do with Nathan, right?"

"Well, yeah…"

"Nathan is more than welcome to stay here in the evenings with us. I honestly don't mind and if Trini is the one willing, then I can't stop her once she's got the idea in her head."

"Hey!" interjected Trini as she nudged Jason in the ribs. Jason acted like nothing had happened.

"Nathan is plenty welcome here while you are at work and you'll just pick him up when you finish in the evenings. Now, Trini has mentioned you paying. I only want to know what you paid your old sitter, and that's what our price will be."

"She charged $16 for an eight hour day, but you wouldn't have him that long. It'd be more like six hours."

"Well, then I think $12 sounds reasonable."

"Jason, this is California, not West Virginia. The prices vary drastically."

"I won't hear another word about it Kimberly. I put my foot down on this."

Kimberly sighed. There was no arguing with Jason. "All right."

"Besides, it just might allow you to not have to take on a second job. I don't see how you could. You'd wear yourself down."

Kimberly began to protest, but Trini stopped her before she could. "You know he's right on this one. What would Nathan do with his mother gone most of the time?"

She was right, though Kimberly didn't want to openly admit it. She knew that she couldn't leave Nathan with someone else most of the day. She was afraid he'd come to forget her. Her motherly instinct wanted to fight against this at all possible costs. "What would I do without you guys to talk some sense into me?"

"It's more like guiding you in the right direction," corrected Trini.

"Yeah, she's right. It was just some advice," added Jason.

"Thanks."

The doorbell rang and Jason went to go answer the door. Trini got down on the floor as did Kimberly, and both began playing with Nathan. "You know Kim, he's like the son I want to have someday. You've raised him well."

"It hasn't been easily, especially these past few months, but I try to make sure that he gets the best he deserves. I just wish he had a father too."

"Kimberly, you know you were planning on getting a divorce with Andrew."

"I know, but even then Nathan would have had a father to see every so often."

"Kim, you can't change what's happened."

"I know. It's just wishful thinking."

"I wonder what's taking so long," wondered Trini.

"Door to door salesman?" suggested Kimberly jokingly.

Jason returned to the living room. "We've a visitor, Trini." Trini glanced up and noticed he looked a little paler. Then she noticed who was behind him. "Hi… Tommy," she trailed. She hadn't expected Tommy of all people.

"Hey guys. Just stopped by for a visit and to drop off some of Jason's power tools that I borrowed."

Kimberly, by this time, had turned away from the doorway right before Tommy had been able to catch a glimpse at her face. She idly held Nathan's hand, acting very interested.

Tommy had been sneaking glances at the visitor on the floor while talking to Jason and Trini. He'd never seen her before, and especially not the baby before. "Hello," he called cheerfully. "I've never seen you before. My name's Tommy."

Kimberly tensed up at the sound of his name. She hadn't thought he'd come here. She knew should have expected it. She could handle it, right? She was an adult now and the letter had been years ago. She turned around to face Tommy, and smiled. "I just moved to San Rio. Kimberly Tyree."

"K-Kim?" asked Tommy, shocked.

"It's me," answered Kimberly, laughing nervously. Nathan began to whimper, and Kimberly picked him up and began to rock him.

"Who's that?" he asked, inquiring about the baby.

"My son, Nathan," replied Kimberly, feeling very nervous and uncomfortable. She really didn't feel like playing twenty questions with Tommy right now.

Tommy knelt down on the floor with her. "Can I hold him?" he asked softly.

Kimberly was taken aback. She hadn't expected Tommy to ask such a question. Then she nodded to him. "Sure." She lifted her son and placed him in Tommy's arms. Then she simply watched.

Tommy glanced down at the child lying in his arms. Nathan looked up at the strange man holding him and reached up to pat his chin. He giggled when he touched the thin hairs on Tommy's chin. Tommy smiled before handing him back to Kimberly. "He's beautiful," stated Tommy, giving Kimberly a genuine smile.

Kimberly took Nathan back in her arms and sat him in her lap. He babbled and she handed him a rattle. She didn't know where to start. It had been so many years. She'd never kept in contact with him after the letter and he returned the favor. She had no idea what had gone on in his life and he knew the same about her.

"So… what have you been up to?" they each asked at the same time.

Kimberly giggled nervously. "You first," she offered.

_But you'll never stand alone my friend_

_Memories never die_

_In our hearts they'll always live_

_And never say goodbye_

**Well there you folks have it. The two have met, but what happens between them? I would love to hear everyone's guesses. No quiz this time though I'm afraid. However, for those of you who would like, I will send you the pictures used in the cover page of this fic. I always like title pages and this one features Kim, Tommy, and Nathan. Kim/Tommy is capped from the net, and not my own. However, the Nathan picture is mine, and is of a little boy in my mom's daycare named Caden. I've based Nathan on him some. Also, the monkey toy mentioned in the fic is real and is made by Fisher Price I think... we have the toy and it is annoying, trust me. Until next chapter!**

**Next time on Unlucky Clover: Kim returns home, thinking of everything that happened earlier in the evening. But what exactly did go on?**


	7. Chatting with the Past

**Here's the next chapter. I'm surprised that no one guessed the title allusion. For anyone who doesn't know where I got it, it's called Down the Road, and was sung by Kimberly and Zach during MMPR. I have no clue which episode, but I do have the song for those wanting to listen to it.  
**

** I've currently finished chapter 9 for the backlog. This will be the last chapter for I don't know how long. I go back to school Friday and I feel that my weekend will be taken up with the unpacking... I don't even know how long it'll be until I have internet. I may have to go elsewhere on campus to simply get it. Anyway, this chapter should be anticipated because of the talk that finally happens. Only question is, how will each react? Enjoy! **

**Chapter 7 Chatting with the Past  
**

Kimberly softly shut the door behind her, being careful not to wake Nathan. The evening had been not all as she had expected. She smiled to herself. Nathan stirred gently in her arms, and she snuck quietly through the house, setting down the bags at the door before heading to Nathan's room. She placed Nathan on his changing table and began slipping him out of his clothing. She accomplished that without waking him, but when she went to change his diaper, he woke up and began to fuss. "Shh… shh," whispered Kimberly, hoping to sooth her son.

However, Nathan had something else in mind. He began bawling and tossing his arms and legs. Kimberly began to sing to him to calm him down.

_Hush little baby don't say a word_

_Momma's gonna buy you a mocking bird_

_And if that mocking bird don't sing,_

_Momma's gonna buy you a diamond ring._

Nathan's fussing became small whimpers and finally he quieted down. Kimberly smiled and slipped him into a fresh diaper. She was glad that he reacted to her singing. It calmed him when nothing else could. After putting a white onesie on Nathan, she placed him in his crib. After winding up his star and moon mobile, she kissed him goodnight and closed the door softly behind her.

Now that Nathan was tucked into bed, she could turn her mind to other things. Namely, meeting Tommy again after years of not hearing a thing from him. Of course, she had been to blame too, for never keeping in touch with anyone but Trini, Jason, and Aisha. Things had gotten hectic over the years, and she'd lost touch with so many people, not just Tommy. What she'd talked to him about though, had been quite interesting.

**Flashback**

Trini and Jason snuck out of the room slowly while Tommy and Kimberly talked. They didn't want the friends to have to endure other listening ears. Nathan was the only one who would ever hear the conversation between the two, and he wouldn't tell a soul.

"Me? Well… after I was a Zeo Ranger, I became a Turbo Ranger, still red, of course. Eventually, I had to pass on my powers and move on with my life. Then came the long years in college. I studied for a paleontology degree, and finally earned my doctorate. I then began working with Anton Mercer, experimenting with dinosaur data and fossils, but things didn't turn out so well. I began working with Hayley on a few special projects, most of which I put aside for a few years later. I thought I would be able to settle down after a hectic teenage and early adult lifestyle, so I moved to Reefside and took the position of a high school science teacher." Tommy paused here when he noticed Kimberly stifling a laugh. "What?" he asked.

"I'm sorry," began Kimberly, "but you and quiet don't really go too well together."

"Wait until you here what happened next. I ended up being the leader of the Dino Rangers."

"The Dino Rangers? I never heard about them."

"Well, we pretty much stuck to Reefside. I would guess it wouldn't make the national news. There were three of them at first, and I was the fourth. We eventually added a fifth. I didn't want to be the leader again, but I had to start out as one. I eventually trained Conner to become leader."

"What was your color this time around? Purple?"

"Tommy gave her a friendly punch to the shoulder. No, I was black this time. There was no purple Ranger, or pink, for that matter. There was only five of us this time around. The other Rangers were my students." He realized Kimberly was trying to cover her mouth to keep from laughing. "Now why is this so funny?"

"You're way too old to be a Power Ranger. And the others were your students? That's priceless."

"You know, I don't think Conner, Ethan, Trent and Kira would have wanted to hear you say that."

"Those were your students?"

"Yeah. Conner McKnight was the biggest soccer star in the school, big athletic jock and clearly clashed with Kira at first. Ethan James was the biggest computer geek since Billy, and he was also the biggest gamer since I don't know when. It took him losing a tournament, among other things, to realize what was more important. Kira Ford was a rock star wannabe, and a really good singer. She always worked for her goals, and tried to bring the boys to their senses. Finally, there was Trent Fernandez. He was turned an evil Ranger at first, but he eventually was able to break the spell and came to our side. He was an artist in the making and even got to work with a professional comic book artist. We eventually defeated the enemy, Mesogog, but lost our powers in the process. My students soon graduated after that, and well, here I am."

"Seems like it was a very interesting team. Can I try and guess colors?"

"Sure."

"Conner was red, Ethan had to be a blue, and Kira must have been a yellow if there wasn't a pink Ranger. I'm not sure about Trent's though. You were evil as a green Ranger. Was Trent a green Ranger?"

"No, but he was one of my old colors."

"Then he had to be white."

"Lucky guess."

"No, it was just obvious. You've only been green, white, red, and now black. Unless… you've got some other color hidden up your sleeve."

"Tommy held his hands up in the air. "Okay, you got me. I was a Rainbow Ranger too."

Kimberly laughed. "Stop it, Tommy! I'm gonna burst from laughing!"

"All right, all right. Now that we've all laughed over me, what about you?"

Kimberly suddenly stopped laughing and gulped. She looked down at Nathan, who had rolled over on his stomach and was sucking on a stuffed lion. She had forgotten that she'd eventually have to tell him about her life story, and the letter. "Well…" she trailed nervously. She looked to Tommy, who was looking back at her expectantly. His face hadn't changed, hadn't softened, and she knew that she had to tell him everything. There would be no pity from him.

"Go on," encouraged Tommy in a monotone voice.

Kimberly cleared her throat. "After I went to Florida, it was nonstop training. I spent almost ten hours a day at the gymnastic compound, working on my routines for Pan Globals. While there, I met Andrew." When Kimberly received no response, she continued. "Andrew worked as a soccer coach for the younger kids in the evening while attending Florida State during the day. I won't go into details, but I was young at the time and we fell in love. A year after Pan Globals, he asked me to marry him and move back to West Virginia with him, to his home town of Romney. I agreed, since I had no family or friends in Florida. We were married two years after that and settled down. Andrew had just finished college and was looking to settle down and teach. Nathan was born in November of last year. Unfortunately, our problems had began before he was born." Kimberly sighed and paused, wishing for some kind of comment from Tommy. She looked up at him, and noticed his expression had softened some.

"Go on," he said softly.

"Andrew was becoming stressed out by school and he was worried about being able to provide for a new baby too. Every small thing became an argument, blown way out of proportion. Many nights I ended up on the couch, while he took the bed. He said that his teaching was more important than my gymnastics studio. Thoughts of the baby to come kept me going. It all came to a head one evening four months later. Andrew had called to say he had parent teacher night and would be home by 6. I was preparing dinner while keeping an eye on Nathan. The door bell rang, and before I knew it, two police detectives were telling me my husband had been crushed to death on the freeway." Tears began to roll down Kimberly's face as she thought of that night over again. "Unfortunately, that wasn't the worst thing to happen. Three months later, the house we'd lived in burned down due to faulty electrical wiring." Her tears became small sobs. "I'm sorry," she apologized.

Tommy reached out and hugged her. "It's all right," he said. "Just let it all out."

Kimberly continued to cry, until her sobs softened. Then she continued. "That's why I've moved back to California. There was nothing left for me in West Virginia and Andrew's parents didn't give a damn about Nathan or I after their son passed on. We spent the rest of the time in West Virginia staying with one of my neighbors before Trini and I talked about my moving out here."

Silence settled between the two and neither knew what to say. Kimberly focused on Nathan and Tommy did as well. Nathan looked up at the two adults looking down at him and tossed a rattle, hitting Tommy square in the forehead. Tommy recoiled, and rubbed his forehead. "Kid's got an arm there."

"I'm so sorry Tommy," apologized Kimberly. "He usually doesn't do that."

"I've found that a lot of things usually don't happen around me," answered Tommy sarcastically.

Kimberly glanced up at the clock and realized that it was almost eight thirty. "Sorry to cut this short, Tommy, but I've really got to get Nathan home. It's past his bedtime."

"No problem, Kimberly. It was nice seeing you again," said Tommy as he gave her a hug.

"Nice seeing you too," replied Kimberly as she picked Nathan up and began gathering his toys.

"Let me help you with that," called Tommy as he grabbed some of the toys, placing them in the diaper bag.

"Thanks." Kimberly picked up the last toy and zipped Nathan's diaper bag shut before picking up her son. Both adults walked into the kitchen, where Jason and Trini were talking over coffee. They instantly stopped once they noticed Kimberly and Tommy walk in the room.

"Thanks for having me over, Trini and Jason, but I've got to get Nathan home. It's his bedtime and he's tired."

"All right Kim. Should I expect you tomorrow afternoon?" asked Trini.

"Yeah, probably around two thirty or so," replied Kimberly as she hugged her friend. She hugged Jason next.

"Good luck tomorrow, Kimberly," he whispered to her.

Kimberly turned to Tommy, who was blocked the entrance to the living room that led to the front door. "Forgetting someone?"

"Goodbye Tommy," called Kimberly as she slipped under his arm and then turned to face him. "See you around." She smiled before opening the door and leaving.

**End Flashback**

Kimberly began changing for bed. Talking to Tommy had been interesting. He'd definitely kept busy through the years, no matter what he'd really wanted to do. He'd changed though. His mannerisms weren't the same. He was more serious, and somewhat colder. Kimberly didn't know if that was because he was talking to her, or if that was his normal manner.

Kimberly changed into a pair of silk boxer shorts with a white t-shirt and began to brush her teeth. Tommy lived and worked in Reefside. She knew that it was only a matter of time before they crossed paths again. Honestly, she was glad to see Tommy again. She had to stop staying out of contact with her old friends. They had some interesting life stories to tell, if they were anything like Tommy.

Rinsing her toothbrush, Kimberly looked at herself in the mirror. "New home, new life, new attitude change for me. I'm going to make things different. No one knows me in San Rio or Reefside. Now's the time to change myself for the better. And I'll start by making things right with all my old friends."

She shut the light off in the bathroom and decided to check up on the latest Internet news before she went to bed. However, the news was quite boring. Instead she pulled up the Google search engine and typed in "Tommy Oliver". Tommy had told her about his life, but that didn't mean the Internet didn't have something. She had suspected something wasn't being told.

As Kimberly glanced at the bright computer screen, she realized she'd been right. She read all the details available on public sites. Tommy Oliver had been a very busy man between the time he'd gone to college and the time he'd gone to Reefside to teach. By the time Kimberly was finished clicking, she realized it was edging closer to eleven thirty. Kimberly yawned. She knew that Nathan would be up early in the morning and she had to get some sleep if she wanted to feel refreshed.

She climbed into bed and pulled the covers up to her chin. She turned to her nightstand and smiled at a picture of Nathan and her, taken by Andrew when they'd gone to the beach. That had been a joyous day, and now Kimberly realized what joyous could be again.

**And there we have it. I hope everything came out right. I'd like to know who's siding with who- do you side with Kimberly or Tommy after the talk? Just curiousity!**

**  
Next time on Unlucky Clover: Kimberly has her very first class at the Reefside Youth Sports Complex. How does it go over? Contest in the next chapter!  
**


	8. Nervousness Never Killed the Gymnast

**Yes, I'm posting chapter 8 finally. I've gotten myself settled in to school, but have found that in the evenings I will have very little time for writing. I have 19 credit hours this semester and I work 18.5 hours a week. So by the time I finish everything, I'm usually pretty tired. Weekends so far are pretty free so that is when I'm going to have to do my writing. Sorry guys, but that's how it's gotta be. I'd say start expecting updates every 2 weeks, but they could be earlier. However, I also have Windmill to finish up so that comes after I finish a chapter for UC. Enjoy! **

**Chapter 8 Nervousness Never Killed the Gymnast  
**

The morning had flown by quickly and Kimberly was now prepping herself for her afternoon classes. She went over and over routines in her mind, trying to remember all the ones in her lesson plan book. She was truly glad the assistant would be there to help out. Kimberly knew she was really going to need it.

Her morning had been spent pouring over the rest of the paperwork and then deciding on what to teach her new students. With her original studio, she'd begun working on routines best tailored to her students as time went by. The same thing would apply here. The hardest part would be getting the students to attempt all the basics at each level to decide where they truly stood.

As she dropped Nathan off at Trini's, she was nervous. Heart pounding, butterflies-in-stomach nervous to be exact. Trini noticed the look on her face and tried to pepper her with encouragement to keep her spirit up and strong. "You'll do fine, Kimberly. It's just like riding a bicycle again.

"I know, I know," replied Kimberly, a bit exasperated. She handed a happy baby to Trini's waiting arms. "He's got everything he'll need for the evening. I'll be by after classes to pick him up." Trini noticed that Kimberly never once handed over his diaper bag while giving the instructions.

"Kim?" she prodded gently.

"Hmm? Oh, right. Sorry," she apologized as she surrendered the bag.

Trini noticed that Kimberly was spacing. "Kim, don't worry and don't panic, all right? If it makes you feel any better, I'll let you smash that damned monkey my lovely husband bought."

Kim let loose a small giggle and a smile crossed her lips. Nathan clapped his hands, as though applauding his mother for her change in mood. "See? Even Nathan likes you better this way."

Kimberly let out a full laugh. "Okay, okay, you win Trini. Now, I'm off to my classes."

"Good luck!" called Trini to the retreating vehicle. She noticed a hand sticking out to wave back at her. "Say bye to mommy, Nathan."

Nathan didn't know what the creature holding him was talking about so he babbled incoherently instead. This seemed to satisfy it and he stopped suddenly. Now he just had to busy himself while this thing kept watch over him. Perhaps that gray blob with the buttons on it would be at his level again…

Kimberly arrived a half hour early. She had no clue about anything at the complex and was hoping there was someone there to give her a tour. She glanced around nervously once she stepped foot inside the building. She heard plenty of voices echoing off the walls in the complex, and could see offices that were occupied. To her right a tall blonde haired girl paced back forth across the carpeted entrance room. Kimberly figured that this girl could show her where she needed to be.

"Excuse me," she called as she made her way to the girl. The girl turned around and smiled.

"Yes?"

"I'm new and trying to find my way around here. I'm Kimberly Tyree, the new head gymnastics coach."

The girl's face broke into a giant grin. "You've come to the right person. I'm Becky, your college assistant."

Kimberly held out her hand, and Becky shook it firmly. "It's nice to meet you," commented Kimberly.

"Likewise," replied the assistant.

"I'm glad I found you. I have no idea where I'm supposed to really be." Kimberly realized that came out wrong, and added. "Well, I mean I know where the equipment is, but I don't…"

"Know where your stuff or office is? Follow me and I'll show you." The girl began walking toward the back of the building. As they walked along, Kimberly glimpsed at the soccer and tennis areas. Both were very nice, with plenty of room to practice and equipment lined up along the walls.

Becky noticed Kimberly watching the indoor soccer court. "Top notch," she stated. "Conner McKnight would always practice there in the winter when the weather was bad."

"Who's he?" asked Kimberly, trying to make conversation. Tommy had mentioned a Conner McKnight and this had to be one and the same. Maybe she'd get some more information that Tommy never mentioned.

"He's the local soccer star. He got a big start in high school and was even trying out for the Reefside Wave. Unfortunately, he never committed after tryouts. Word is that he chickened out, but that's not Conner. I think something else came up myself. He's gone off to play college ball."

"He sounds like a great athlete," replied Kimberly.

"Definitely." Becky stopped outside a door that was labeled "Gymnastics". "This is going to be your office area. She pushed open the door, which wasn't locked, to reveal a desk with papers covering it that were dusty and crinkled. "Sorry about the mess though. I started trying to clean it up, but I only got the word yesterday that you were hired."

"That's all right," reassured Kimberly. She honestly hadn't expected anything. An office was greatly appreciated, messy though it was.

"Class will be starting in a half hour. Do you have any questions?"

"Not in particular, but I was wondering about where most of the classes were in their training."

"Some of them have just moved up in levels, so they're at the beginning. Others are seasoned in their levels. The rest just need plain work. Don't worry. I'll point the ones out to you that really need help."

"I have a book of plans I used with my old studio. What I did then was test all the girls' skill levels and then adjust practice accordingly."

"It's up to you what you do with the girls, not me. I'm only here to help you and earn hours for my major. Well that and I get paid for the extra hours I earn. Either way, it's your call."

A flood of relief swept over Kimberly. That was the answer she'd been looking for. At least she'd been given an assistant who was willing to step back and let the coach take charge. She turned around as she heard voices and snippets of conversation heading her way.

Becky smiled brightly and welcomed the group. "Hannah, Tren, so good to see you both!" she called to the two young girls. Kimberly guessed that they were around eight years old. A tired looking woman walked behind the two. "Hello, Mrs. Crane," called Becky.

"Hi, Becky," answered Mrs. Crane with an exasperated sigh. "I hope you can wear the energy of those two. Hannah's mother will go crazy if she's still wound up after practice."

"Don't worry. We'll make sure they get plenty of exercise."

Mrs. Crane noticed Kimberly watching the exchange silently. She noticed that the woman was shorter than Becky, and more petite as well. "I'm sorry," she addressed Kimberly. "I should have introduced myself. I'm Mrs. Crane, Tren's mother." She held out a hand and Kimberly shook it.

"I'm Kimberly Tyree, head coach. I'll be working with your daughter from now on," replied Kimberly.

"Oh it's so good that they finally hired a coach! You don't know how hard it's been on poor Becky here to keep up with all the classes. She's a blessing."

"I can only imagine," laughed Kimberly. "I hope to be getting newsletters together very soon for the classes so that you'll know exactly what's happening."

"Take your time. We're in no hurry. Although, if you don't mind me suggesting, when you decide to enter the team in a competition, do let us know ahead of time. The last coach was terrible about letting us know at exactly the last minute."

"I will make sure of it."

Mrs. Crane stole a glance at her watch. "Well, I should get going. I have more errands to run. I'll be back before class ends." With that, she turned and walked away, but not before running into another parent.

That evening while Kimberly was driving to pick up Nathan was the longest evening she could remember since moving to San Rio, and that hadn't been too long ago. Throwing herself wholeheartedly into gymnastics was draining, but rewarding at the same time. She was elated to discover that almost all of the girls were eager to begin training with a real coach, especially when one of the girls mentioned Kimberly's participation in the Pan Globals. This seemed to fuel the girls' desires to please Kimberly and earn some type of compliment. By the end of the evening, Kimberly felt sure that the girls had adjusted to her wonderfully.

She couldn't have gotten through the evening without Becky. That girl was a blessing, just as Mrs. Crane had said. Not only did Becky help out with practices, but she was also the team psychologist, speaking to each and every girl as if their problem was the worst thing in the world. She had taken over for Kimberly without a word being spoken, and Kimberly felt as though their chemistry matched well. They made a great team tonight, and Kimberly hoped it would continue.

Her fingers deftly moved around the console, trying to find a good radio station that would relax her some. She finally settled on a country station that seemed to play old hits. She tuned in just as the songs switched.

_Late one cold and stormy night_

_I heard a dog a barking_

_Then I thought I heard somebody_

_At my door a knocking_

_I wondered who could be outside_

_In such an awful storm_

_And then I saw a little girl_

_With a puppy in her arms…_

Kimberly vaguely remembered the song and knew it to be quite sad, but she knew nothing more than that. As the haunting melody wore on, she relived the memory of the sad tale of the girl whose parents fought, bickered, and ignored her. The little girl finally took shelter in the comfort of a stranger's home with her puppy, promising to be good. That night, she and her dog died peacefully, taking her away from the life she had desperately needed to escape.

It reminded her of the times she had listened to her parents fighting. That was so long ago, yet the nights she'd spent in tears and anguish as a little girl had caused her more grief than anything. Looking back, her youthful naivety had something to do with it, but it had left it's mark. The damage had been done all those years ago. She was thankful that she didn't have to live the same lifestyle the little girl had to deal with.

Her mood was somber when she arrived at Trini's. She chided herself for letting a song affect her so much. It was just a simple song, wasn't it? _Stupid, stupid, stupid._ She tried to reign in her emotions and release only what felt good. It worked. As she glanced up into the rear view mirror, she realized that it had worked.

Jason answered the door before she could ring the doorbell. He had a goofy smile on his face and Kimberly couldn't help but smile back at him. "Why the smiles?" asked Kimberly.

"No reason. It's just a good night to smile."

Jason's answer was odd, but Kimberly took it in stride. "How was Nathan?" she asked.

"He was great, Kim. Not bad at all, except for when he spit his peas all over my work shirt. _That_ was disgusting."

Kimberly stifled a laugh and Jason gestured her inside. Trini was tending to a sleeping Nathan. He had decided the floor was a cozy place to sleep. Trini was on her knees, covering him up when she noticed Kimberly. Trini left Nathan and walked over to her friend. "How were classes?" she whispered.

"Great, but very stressful," replied Kimberly in the same tone of voice.

"Same time tomorrow?" asked Trini as she grabbed the diaper bag that was sitting on a table by the door.

"Always." Kimberly said, taking the bag from her friend. Trini then returned to Nathan and gently picked him up, cradling him into Kimberly's arms. Mother looked at her sleeping son and kissed his forehead softly. "Thank you," whispered Kimberly as she slipped outside to her car. She made sure Nathan was safely strapped in before she got into the driver's seat. The drive home was going to seem longer than it really was.

Kimberly didn't realize how tired she was until she yawned. Then, she couldn't stop. By the time she pulled into her own driveway, she was struggling to keep her eyes open. The day had taken more out of her than she'd thought.

**And there you have it. Anyone know the song at the end? I should start saying I don't own the songs or lyrics... they are credited to their respective artist/s. This applies to any songs used before or after this point. No prize for knowing, just the knowledge that you figured out another favorite song of mine from childhood. **


	9. Heading into Fall

**Well I actually got this chapter out. I was beginning to think I'd have to post it without finishing another chapter for the backlog. However, I just finished chapter 11 tonight. This chapter is written differently than the others so far. It has very little dialog, at least less than most chapters. What it is really doing is tying in events for the next chapter. See if you like the style. I don't know if I'll use it again or not. I will see you all again in about two weeks. That seems to work out perfectly the way my life is. I just make myself busier and busier sometimes... like I just started taking karate classes... anyway, enjoy!  
**

**Chapter 9 Heading into Fall  
**

The rest of August passed by quietly, as did September. Kimberly settled into her new routine and lifestyle in San Rio. Her day was always busy in the afternoons and evenings, but when she had the mornings to relax and run errands with Nathan, things were peaceful.

Nathan was growing up. He was sitting up by himself now and crawling everywhere. Sometimes Kimberly could barely keep up with him. If she took her eye off of him for a second, he was usually clear across the room the next. Sometimes Kimberly was afraid he'd get himself into trouble by getting into something he shouldn't. Everything he could reach or break was out of his grasp, but he still found ways to get things, such as tossing dirt from a potted plant. At least he wasn't too messy eating. Kimberly had switched him to baby food and rice cereal, which he usually scarfed down. He did tend to get quite messy in the process, rubbing his hands on his mouth and then spreading them around his face.

Her job fell into place; the girls were tested on their abilities and routines. Kimberly created and pulled old lesson plans to help them out. Becky studied them as well, even though Kimberly repeatedly told her that she didn't have to. Kimberly felt that Becky already carried a heavy college load, but Becky insisted on knowing exactly what the girls should be doing. The girls themselves seemed very pleased with the new skills they were learning, and Kimberly noticed a slight increase in the number attending classes. Apparently word had spread quicker than she'd thought about the Pan Globals gymnast that was now teaching at Reefside. She hated that to be the reason that girls signed up all of a sudden, but then again some girls wanted to train with someone who'd been in high level competitions. It went both ways, and Kimberly could usually figure out which reason a girl joined simply by the way she acted during classes.

"Are you sure she only joined because of you?" asked Becky.

"Yes. Just watch the next few classes and you'll see," Kimberly would answer confidently.

Becky watched. Kimberly usually increased skills needed at each class, working the newest girl to her maximum strength. If the girl was still interested after suffering through that kind of training, then she stayed. If she was only there because of Kimberly, then she'd quit and never been seen again. Becky had more than once overheard an older girl calling her a "hard-nosed bitch", but she kept that to herself.

"How do you know?" asked Becky one evening.

"I used to have it back at my old studio. I just learned to watch for signs, like the attitude and body language. My gut would always seem to know when they didn't click. I've been wrong a few times though. It's something to keep in mind though if you ever become a coach, Becky. It'll save you stress and hassles down the road."

Becky was certain she'd never be as famous as Coach Tyree, but she tucked the advice away for later use. It was helpful in determining who really wanted to be at a practice or participate in a sport. She could see where Kimberly was coming from. From then on, she tried to read the body signs and attitudes of all the new girls who came to the studio. She wanted to see how well she could guess. She never told Kimberly that she was practicing. Some things were better left unsaid.

The parents seemed pleased with her coaching as well. Mrs. Crane couldn't stop raving about the way Tren's attitude had improved about gymnastics since Kimberly came. She loved the changes in Tren, and never failed to speak of them, even though Kimberly may have heard them the evening before. During parent meetings Kimberly could feel the approval of the group toward her. Things went over well, and the parents were overjoyed when Kimberly mentioned entering the girls in the Fall Leaf Meet. The date had been set for the middle of October, but Kimberly made sure to take Mrs. Crane's advice and mention the meet to the parents in plenty of time. They were overjoyed that their girls would be participating again so soon.

Trini and Jason became a daily part of Kimberly's life once more. They enjoyed Nathan and Kimberly's company, grateful to have another good friend to pass the time with. Jason had bought more toys for Nathan to keep at his and Trini's house, which struck Kimberly as odd, but it was like Jason to do something like that. Trini had become more motherly and Kimberly was certain she wanted to have a child of her own soon. The way Trini persuaded, Kimberly had no doubts that an announcement was not too far off in the near future.

"What did you buy this time?" asked an exasperated Trini when Jason came home with yet another bag from Toys 'R Us.

"Nothing…" he began.

"Jason, you confess right now or you'll pay later."

Jason sheepishly pulled out a box with a picture of a See 'N Say on it. "Just this Barnyard See 'N Say for Nathan," he answered as Kimberly walked in the front door.

Trini turned to look at Kimberly, giving her a pleading glance. Kimberly took note of the message and began to speak. "Jason, why did you buy another toy for Nathan? He's got plenty now and you'll spoil him rotten. If I end up with a rotten brat on my hands, he's going to be yours to take care of!"

Jason gulped as he set the toy on the table. Kimberly was dead serious. He would rather not have a spoiled child to deal with. "Okay, okay." He gave in.

"Jason, if you want a child that badly, we can talk about it," added Trini in a sincere voice.

Kimberly didn't add anything to this. She knew it was a personal matter between Trini and Jason, and not something that needed her input. She supported her friends fully, but knew that having a child would be the ultimate commitment for Jason. Secretly she wished the two would not begin fighting if a new child was ever expected, like what had happened with Andrew and her. Instead of driving the two apart, she wished that they would be brought closer together.

Tommy had been seen briefly, but not often. She hadn't really talked with him since the night they'd first seen each other again. She considered him a friend still, and was glad he was back in her life. Unfortunately, she'd noticed that he had sudden mood swings, and was more sarcastic than she remembered. Kimberly didn't know if that was from getting older, or simply because he'd been through so much in a relatively short time span. Sometimes she felt as though she was talking to a wall. Tommy only really lit up when talking about his team of Dino Rangers. Kimberly could tell that he was really proud of those teenagers and what they'd accomplished during the time they'd spent protecting Reefside. She also knew he missed them, even though he'd complain about how they had always spent too much time at his house in his basement command center.

With October in full swing, Kimberly had begun preparing for the upcoming meet, as well as Halloween. She was looking forward to taking Nathan out trick-or-treating, and Jason had already been coming up with costume ideas. So far, Trini had planned an evening of trick-or-treating with Nathan, and then the adults spending a bit of time together, simply enjoying the holiday and reminiscing over old battles. After all, being a Power Ranger was kinda like Halloween happening every day with all the tricks and no treats. It gave Kimberly something to look forward to, and she was thankful to have friends her age again.

Kimberly was at a local Halloween store, shopping for decorations for her home and for Nathan. Jason had insisted on helping little Nathan carve his first pumpkin, but didn't have any of the supplies necessary. "I have a butcher knife," he had offered. "That always worked for me and my brothers." Kimberly remembered how she'd smacked him upside the head after that and told him she'd buy the carving supplies, as well as the pumpkin. Jason was just as much a kid as ever, no matter how old he got.

Picking up a neon green cauldron, she laughed at how cheesy the decorations had become. When she was little, it was enough to have cardboard cutouts and fake spider webs with spiders all over the downstairs. She remembered that lawns were decorated with carved pumpkins and sheet ghosts. Nowadays the effects produced by products were more important. In the back of the store, Kimberly found packages of cardboard cutouts and window clings. They were perfect, and simple to hang up and keep. In the carving aisle, she found plenty of materials and how to books, but very few things for children. Finally she found a carving kit for children and also decided to buy a box of paints for pumpkins as well. That way Jason would have plenty of options with Nathan.

Kimberly didn't know whether to laugh or cry when Jason offered to take Nathan costume shopping while she was away at her gymnastics meet. She was afraid of the costumes he'd choose, but he promised to pick out something "manly". Kimberly tried to remind him that when you went shopping for a baby's costume, you didn't need the baby there, but Jason wouldn't hear any of it. Trini simply shook her head when Jason wasn't looking and shrugged her shoulders as if to say "What can you do?"

"Jason, you can't be serious. I was simply going to gather some baby clothes and make his costume myself."

"He's got to look great for his first Halloween."

"That doesn't mean you have to shell out a lot of money for it," protested Kimberly.

"Don't worry about it. I'll take care of everything. Just let me take him out while you're at the meet. It'll save you the trouble of having to work on a costume for him."

Kimberly finally gave in. Her idea had been to make Nathan a football player. She had gotten a child size jersey of the local high school team in Reefside and was going to borrow a helmet from Becky to match it. Becky's younger brother played for the team and had decided to let Becky borrow it. She decided to let Jason have his fun. Trini would get back at him later.

It wasn't until the end of the second week of October that she saw Tommy again. She'd been at Hayley's Cyber Space getting a smoothie before heading to the youth complex for the evening's gymnastic classes. She had been chatting with Hayley nonchalantly, telling her about how great the complex was and how she felt about fitting in.

She failed to notice his presence behind her until he spoke up softly, trying to get Hayley's attention. Hayley warmly welcomed him and offered him his usual drink before asking what he wished to talk about. The two spoke softly as Kimberly simply listened, as though fading into the background. She decided that it was best to leave and head to the complex before it turned too late. She glanced quickly at her watch and realized she still had ten minutes before she even had to be at the complex. She turned to go, without acknowledgement or goodbye when he stopped her. He said nothing, but only placed a hand on her shoulder. She looked back up at him, trying to discover just what it was he truly wanted. That look seemed to convey more than words could. She turned and he let go. His language had told her he was glad to have her back in his life, though he couldn't say that, not yet. The time wasn't right.

Later that evening Kimberly spoke to Trini about what had happened between the two. Trini had suggested that Kimberly write down her emotions and feelings about events to help her with her thinking. Kimberly could question her own ideas and thoughts and could try to answer them, unheeded and unhindered. It would be her own personal escape, that she'd have all to herself. Trini told her that she didn't even have to talk about it. The option was simply there for Kimberly to use. Trini suggested the traditional diary, or an online private journal.

"I'm just saying to try it, Kim. You don't have to continue with it afterwards, or even let anyone else know it exists. Just get everything out."

"I really don't see how this is going to help me," replied Kimberly.

"You won't know unless you try. At least you'll be able to get everything off your chest. It may seem silly, but it's not. I keep one of my own."

"Does Jason know about it?"

"He knows I keep one, but nothing else. It really helps me to sort my problems out. I try to write in it every so often to keep in the habit."

"If you say it works, then I'll try it," spoke Kimberly. She spoke the truth, but she didn't know when she'd actually write in the journal. She didn't know if she'd even have time to constantly write. She hadn't kept a journal since she was a young teenager. She still had those notebooks, but now everything inside seemed silly. Then she began to remember how she felt after writing in one of her notebooks. She felt lighter, as thought her soul was free.

She continued her usual nighttime routine after gym classes. Nathan was put to bed, and she straightened the house up before turning in herself. She made herself comfortable before turning out the light. She tried to fall asleep, but sleep wouldn't come. She tossed and turned, hoping the movement would tire her body and allow her to sleep. She couldn't. There were too many thoughts swirling around in her head. They pushed away the sleep she so desperately wanted.

As the clock struck a chord that denoted time was getting later and later in the night, Kimberly sat up in bed. She couldn't sleep. There was too much on her mind, too many thoughts swirling and jumbled around. Trini's suggestion echoed in her mind and she slipped out of bed and to the computer desk. Paper and pen were fine, but Kimberly needed a quick way to jot her thoughts down and nothing said quick like the _tap tap tap_ of the computer keyboard. She browsed the Internet quickly, looking for a simple site that would allow her to post her thoughts private. She queried her keywords and found LiveJournal. It would do for now.

Kimberly yawned as she shut the computer down again. It had taken over an hour, but she'd written an entry. It was probably the worst time of night to write a long, rambling, ranting entry, but she had no choice. She would never have been able to sleep otherwise. Everything was okay now. She was focused and she was settled mostly about the thoughts that had been creeping up on her the past few weeks. She fell into a deep sleep. When she awoke the next morning, she was surprised at how well rested she felt, even though she'd been up part of the night. Pouring her soul out to an online journal had helped more than she could have ever imagined.

**Okay so yeah I pimped LJ there... what can I say? I'm an LJer myself and I really love the site. I had been hoping someone would get the song reference from last chapter, but no one did. It's "Me and Little Andy" by Dolly Parton. Song always did creep me out a bit when I was little...**

** Next time on Unlucky Clover: Kimberly prepares to leave for her meet and Nathan will be spending the weekend with the Scotts! During their goodbyes though, something sparks Kimberly's memory...and somebody shows up at the last minute! Find out next time on Unlucky Clover!  
**


	10. Saying Goodbyes

**I finished chapter 12 tonight, so that means everyone gets chapter 10. Yay for you all! I had to finish this this weekend cause I'm not here next weekend. I hope everyone enjoys too. Contest posted at the end of the chapter, so make sure you all participate in that!  
**

**Chapter 10 Saying Goodbyes**

Jason strapped Nathan into his car seat before turning back to Kimberly. "Don't worry, Kim. He'll be fine with us. You won't need to worry about a thing. It's all taken care of."

Trini shook her head and rolled her eyes. "Famous last words," she muttered, causing Kimberly to giggle.

Jason looked at both women with mock hurt. "Thanks for trusting me."

"Jason, we were kidding!" replied Trini.

Jason smiled. "As I was saying, Nathan will enjoy his stay at the lovely Scott residence."

"Don't go overboard, dear," warned Trini.

Kimberly loaded the rest of her bags into her car. "It's just Jason's way of saying he's gonna enjoy being a pretend daddy."

Jason didn't respond to Kimberly's remark, but she knew he enjoyed watching Nathan. He acted like a child again every time she had Nathan with her. He simply enjoyed being able to love another child and spoil him like nothing else mattered. She wished that Andrew had been that way with Nathan, but he never had been.

**Flashback**

An infant's cries echoed throughout the Tyree home. It was late afternoon, and he was just waking from a long afternoon nap, hungry for a bottle and in great need of a diaper change. The comfort level was unnerving.

"Andy, could you take care of Nathan? He probably needs a diaper change and his bottle. I've got one in the fridge ready to go. You'll just have to heat it up," called Kimberly. She was busy preparing dinner for her little family.

"Honey, I'm a little busy right now. These papers won't grade themselves you know."

"You've not seen your son all day, Andrew. Go spend some time with him."

"He's the same as every other day. And you know how much I hate changing diapers," he grumbled.

"I deal with his messes most of the day. It's the least you could do to help me out."

Kimberly didn't get quite the reaction she expected. She cringed as she heard a fist slam onto a table and then a door slamming. Why Andrew acted like this with their son, she couldn't understand. He had been excited when Nathan had been born, always there with Nathan at the hospital. However, once Nathan had come home, Andrew had changed. No longer did he dote on Nathan and the help Kimberly received gradually trickled down to very little. Suddenly, it seemed as though Andrew's work had become more important than his family. She sighed, and walked upstairs to Nathan's room.

Slamming sounds came from Nathan's room, similar to the ones that she'd heard previously, but certainly softer. As she peeked inside, she noticed how angry Andrew was. He slammed each baby product on the table and Kimberly was certain that the words he was mumbling to himself weren't very pleasant for the baby's ears. "Andrew!" Kimberly spat in shock.

"What!" yelled her husband, growling as he turned to her.

"What is your problem? I ask you to do a simple task for me and you can't even do it without complaining! You're worse than a rebellious teenager!"

"Well I was quite busy when you decided to interrupt me! This could have easily been handled by you, but you had to disturb me instead!"

"He's your son too, Andrew! You're supposed to be a father to him, but you can barely do that!" yelled Kimberly. She felt herself getting upset, choking up, but she wouldn't let the tears fall just yet.

"I am trying to support this family! I am trying to earn a decent paycheck to give Nathan a good college education someday!" No longer was Andrew tending to Nathan. He had turned all of his focus toward Kimberly.

"Nathan needs a college education someday, but right now he needs his father's love too. You need to understand that! And you complain when he prefers to be held by me rather than you. It's because of times like these where you refuse to do anything with him!"

Nathan's wail interrupted the quarrel between the two. The tone and volume of the voices had upset him. He needed a comforting source. Kimberly quickly made her way to his changing table and grabbed her son. That's all it seemed like anymore. With Andrew being stubborn as a mule about helping, he really seemed like only hers. The only thing he really contributed was the paycheck, and to him that was all he needed to do. It frustrated Kimberly to no end and seemed to be the biggest argument every week.

As she cradled Nathan in her arms, she looked over at Andrew sternly. "We'll continue this later this evening after Nathan is in bed and won't be around to hear our talking."

Andrew nodded before curtly turning and returning to his work, slamming the door shut so hard that the vibrations were felt throughout the house. Kimberly walked with Nathan over to the rocking chair in the corner of the room and sat down. Only then did she let the tears fall.

She cried silently, wishing that things hadn't changed so much. Andrew had changed. She knew it was hard on him as a teacher with his rowdy class, but he could never leave the problems of the classroom at the front door. A cloud would loom over him all evening as he steamed at one student had done, or how badly a lesson had gone. Every time Kimberly brought up the subject, he would simply avoid the conversation, quickly changing topic. He never wanted to admit to anything.

Then there were the very rare times when father and son would be seen together. Kimberly remembered a few weeks ago how Andrew had lay on the floor with Nathan the entire morning until his nap. The laughter heard was too good to be true. Eventually Kimberly had given up on trying to place any blame on him; it did no good. She knew that this tension with the baby was tearing her family apart. It was upsetting and unnerving.

Kimberly glanced down at Nathan, who had begun squirming in her arms and whimpering. "It shouldn't have to be this way, Bubby. Daddy and mommy are having problems and they deal with you. I'm sorry you have to hear our mean words." She hugged him closer to her as she rose to head downstairs and fix his bottle.

**End Flashback**

Jason loaded the rest of Nathan's bags into his vehicle. "Are you sure this is everything, Kim?" he asked sarcastically.

"Just because I like shopping a little every now and then for Nathan doesn't mean anything."

"I wasn't referring to the shopping. I was referring to everything you've packed here for the weekend. Do you really think he'll need all of this?"

"Well there's a bag of his favorite toys, his overnight gear, extra bottles and plenty of food, clothing, diapers, and his stroller, just in case. It's all that's required of caring for a baby for a long period of time."

"See what you'll have to look forward to?" joked Trini.

"I think I can handle it after saving the world."

Trini raised an eyebrow. "Someone's cocky."

"You know I'm only kidding!" replied Jason.

Kimberly smiled as the couple fought. How nice it would be to have someone like that in her life. Someone to love and care for. Someone who would love Nathan like his own and not consider him to be a burden. Jason and Trini had been married longer than she and Andrew had, yet they were still as happy as the day they were married. Granted, the two didn't have a child yet, but she still had a feeling they'd be just as happy. "Well, I guess I'd better be heading out. I'm to be meeting the girls in the morning before our first meet. I'm to be picking Becky up in half an hour."

"I thought she wasn't going to the meet because of class work?" questioned Trini.

"The deadline on her big project was delayed until later in the week so she was able to go. I'm glad because I'm going to need some help getting the girls ready."

Jason pulled Kimberly into a hug. "Well good luck at the meet. I know your team will do great. You've been training them hard for this moment."

"Thanks, Jason," she replied as she hugged him back.

Trini was the next to hug her. "Take care of yourself. Make sure you call us tomorrow with updates after the first meet."

"I don't think I have a choice. I think I'd want to hear about Nathan too," laughed Kimberly.

The three of them turned when they saw a car pull into the driveway, a black Jeep to be exact. Out stepped Tommy, still dressed in a suit and tie. "Tommy?" asked Kimberly in surprise. "How'd you know where I lived?" She didn't recall telling him her address and she didn't think that Jason or Trini had told him either.

"Let's just say a certain friend of mine told me when I was helping him move an old college friend's stuff into this place," replied Tommy with a smile.

"Huh?" asked Kimberly, confused.

Jason spoke up to give her an explanation. "Back when Trini and I first surprised you by moving all of your stuff in, I enlisted Tommy's help so I had a partner to help me with all of the heavy stuff. I didn't want to tell him it was you and have him refuse, so I told him I was helping an old college friend move in. I knew Tommy would never question any further."

"While it was cruel, he was right about my questioning him. I had no reason to," added Tommy.

Kimberly had picked up on the "refuse" part, but didn't let it show. So Trini and Jason must have been trying to protect her and Tommy from each other. Why, she didn't know. Neither of them were emotional teenagers anymore, and it really hadn't helped anyway. Her friends should have known that they couldn't keep Tommy from seeing her at some point. It was just too inevitable.

She and Tommy could be friends and were starting to become friends again. It _was_ nice seeing him again after all of these years. Just because the way she had began the breakup was cruel, doesn't mean that she still had to be that way. Back then, she'd thought she was in love with Andrew. Every time she called Tommy, he was out, either with friends or with Kat. Deep in her heart she knew what she was going to do wasn't right, but she listened to the logic of her brain instead. She had penned the letter a few days later after carefully thinking what to write.

**Flashback**

It was late evening, and Kimberly was tired. The day's workout had been rough and she was beyond tired. However, she couldn't go to bed just yet. There was something important she had to do before she lost her nerve. She pulled a piece of paper from her desk and grabbed a pen from the container on her desk. She took a deep breath and began to write the letter whose words had been in her mind for the past day.

Fifteen minutes later, the deed was done and Kimberly sighed. Here it was, this envelope that she held in her hands, the letter that would change everything. She'd thought it over and had talked to Andrew about it. She had to free Tommy. She couldn't keep going behind his back. He was always out with Katherine. She would give him up so that Katherine would have a chance with him. She deserved someone nicer, and Tommy did too. She hated having to break his heart like this, but she couldn't call him. She was too scared.

Everything would be all right in the end… things would be terrible now, for both her and Tommy, but they'd make it through. Tommy would have his good friends to cheer him up. Rangers stuck together no matter what and now was one of those times when they'd have Tommy's back. She really hoped Katherine would be of some help to him. Katherine was always willing to lend a sympathetic ear to a friend in need.

_Who am I kidding?_ Thought Kimberly bitterly. _Tommy will be so heart broken… we were just getting really serious.. no Kim, you can't think about that. You have your life going in a different direction from his. He's a Ranger and you're in training for the Pan Globals and then the Olympics. You'll never be able to be there for him like he needs and deserves. That privilege is no longer my own. Andrew is the one who's there for me now and I can be there for him to as he deserves._

Kimberly crawled into bed with a tear-stained face that evening. No matter what mantra she told herself, nothing would cheer her up. She only hoped that as time passed, broken hearts would heal. Time mends all hurt... at least, that's what she told herself.

**End Flashback**

Kimberly leaned over to give Nathan a few last kisses. "Have fun, Nathan. I know you'll be well taken care of." She kissed his forehead one last time and gave him one final hug. "Mommy loves you."

Jason and Trini said their last few goodbyes and soon Kimberly found herself on the road to pick up Becky. For some reason, she felt sad, as this was the first time she'd left Nathan for an extended weekend.. the mother in her wanted to turn around right there and go back to him, but the gymnastic coach in her wouldn't let her. Kimberly put on some music to calm her nerves.

_A young couple marries, already fighting  
Along comes baby makin' them three   
Trouble's all he hears from the time he's in didies  
Baby don't know just what to believe_

_Angry words and spiteful actions  
Baby's gonna cut his teeth on these  
If that's gonna be the main attraction  
What will the baby be, what will baby be_

The words hit closer to home than she could have fought. It was true though. Fighting was over stupid things, but when Nathan came along, those "stupid" things became blown out of proportion. Every night, a different object or event turned into a fight. Kimberly couldn't count how many times she'd gone to bed upset and cried herself softly to sleep. How different things had become from the time she first started dating Andrew.

_Baby needs love and needs direction  
Baby's first school is the family  
For they are only a reflection  
Of the things they see, what will baby be _

_What will baby be after baby is grown  
What will baby do if baby don't know what's right or wrong  
Got to show them love, got to teach them truth  
'Cause what baby is when baby grows up   
Well, that depends entirely on me and you  
Depends entirely on me and you_

Kimberly was thankful that her own life had taken a different turn than the one mentioned in the song. Granted, the man in the song was never killed, or the family's house burned down later on. Kimberly thanked God over and over that she and Nathan had taken a different path now, one that would lead them to a better piece of luck. Friends and family were close by, and Nathan had positive examples in his life to mimic. Jason and Trini were the closest next family he had right now and Kimberly couldn't have asked for better friends. They were always there for her son and herself.

Smiling, Kimberly changed the radio station. She didn't need to hear the rest of the song. It didn't need to be told to her. She knew that she had made Nathan's life better for him. He would have a better childhood, one full of fond memories, or so Kimberly hoped. Luck was blowing on the wind, and Kimberly hoped she'd lost that unlucky clover that had been plaguing her the past few years.

**Okay this time the contest has nothing to do with the song, like I usually do. And this one will have a prize with it, once I find exactly what I want to hand out. So here's the contest: Nathan is going costume shopping with Trini and Jason next chapter. What costume will he finally end up with? You take a guess!**


	11. A Weekend at the Scotts'

**Hey again all. First off, the contest results. Many of you were right, but the closest was psav2005. However, no one got the exact Ranger right. psav2005, I owe you a prize. Haven't come up with it yet, but don't let me forget. I need to see if I have any fitting icons before I create a new one. Also the guess about the football player was to be Nathan's original costume. This idea was actually my first Halloween costume. I got dressed up as a football player and the helmet was used for the candy. Later on, I will also make mentions of other connections of Nathan to myself, and perhaps to the boy he is based off of as well. Enjoy the chapter and please leave some reviews.  
**

**Chapter 11 A Weekend With the Scotts  
**

"Oh come on Trini! He'll look great in this costume!" pleaded Jason as he held up a Jack-Jack costume from the Incredibles.

Trini raised an eyebrow. "I thought you wanted him to look manly?"

"Well, yeah, but this baby has super human strength! That is Ranger material right there!"

Trini and Jason had taken Nathan to the costume shop in the mall a few hours after Kimberly had left. Jason was too impatient to wait until Saturday and Trini decided to let him have his fun. Nathan was currently in Trini's arms, sucking on a rattle and not caring less about what was going on around him. Trini had noticed his fascination with all the bright colors around him, but that was it. He didn't care what costume Jason picked for him.

Trini glanced around at some of the other boys' costumes for infants. "You want Ranger material?" she asked Jason.

Jason wasn't facing her at the moment as he was still thumbing through more costumes. "Well he is a Ranger's kid," he whispered.

"Well then why don't you make him one?" asked Trini as she held up a red Dino Thunder costume.

Jason turned and grinned when he saw what his wife held up. "Of course he would take after me…."

"There's also blue, black, and white. We both know those were boy Rangers," she answered in a lower tone.

"We are not making him Tommy. We will make him red because I was once red. We all know red is the best color."

"You do know you're talking to a yellow, right?" smirked Trini.

"I didn't mean any offense!" replied Jason, holding up his hands in defeat.

"You say that now…" trailed Trini.

"Well we both know that yellow was Kira, so we are not making Nathan look like a girl. It's either red or black."

"What about blue? Blue takes after Billy, you know. And white used to be Tommy, but we know it was Trent this time."

"Does it really matter?" asked an exasperated Jason.

"All right, all right. Go with red. Now that I think about it, making Nathan black might be too much of a reminder about Tommy for Kim. Even white could be bad."

"That was a quite awhile ago, Trini," spoke Jason.

"We don't know how it still affects her though. She never speaks and it's best not to ask."

Nathan continued to suck on his rattle and watch the two beings before him speak animatedly. He couldn't understand them, but it was making them quite excited. He saw some sort of article in front of him, which seemed to be the basis of the two beings' arguing. Little did he know that the two beings were deciding his costume fate for Halloween, or what Jason would do once he was in that costume…

"While we're here, do we need anything else?" asked Trini.

"Are we dressing up this year?" asked Jason.

"We only do that when we have some party to go to and we don't this year."

"That's because we're hosting one. Should we get costumes too?"

Trini laughed. "You just want to be a kid again. If they gave candy out to adults, you'd be right there in front."

"Well they do give candy to adults, the adults who have tiny children with them who won't even eat the candy," smirked Jason.

"Let me guess. You want to convince Kimberly to let you take Nathan trick or treating so you can load up on sugary sweets?"

"Yes?" answered Jason innocently.

"You and your ideas," muttered Trini.

Later that evening, after Nathan had been put to bed in the guest bedroom, Jason and Trini sat watching television in the living room. They were cuddled up on the couch, watching old reruns of Dinosaurs. Neither knew why. It passed the time while they were waiting for Kimberly to call.

"Not the mama, not the mama, not the mama!" yelled Baby Sinclair as he repeatedly whacked his father over the head with a frying pan. Earl looked at his pale pink son with contempt. Jason laughed at the whole scene. "I'm glad that wouldn't happen these days."

"Afraid you'd be whacked once too often?" asked Trini with a smile.

"That's not it. Just think of all the frying pans that would be wasted!" joked Jason.

Trini nuzzled her head against Jason's shoulder. "So what did you think about having a child full time?" She had hoped that it would curb Jason's obsession with Nathan. She didn't get the answer she hoped for though.

"Honestly? I enjoyed it. I felt like I was his father, at least for a moment."

"Anything else?"

"I hate changing diapers." Jason made a face as he remembered a particular point in the evening right before he gave Nathan a bath. Trini had been preparing Nathan's bath water, so she'd left it up to Jason to get Nathan ready. Jason cursed his terrible luck, but finished the job anyway. He'd have no peace from Trini otherwise.

"If we have a child, you'll have plenty more like that to look forward to," warned Trini.

"I think I can handle it," replied Jason. A cry came from the guest bedroom, becoming louder and showing no signs of stopping soon. "Just like I'll go handle that." He rose from the couch and Trini smiled at his retreating form. The phone rang just then, and she rose to answer it.

"Hello?"

"Trini! It's me!" came Kimberly's voice from the other end of the line.

"Hey Kim. How's things going?"

"As good as can be expected I suppose. Becky and I got a little lost on the way here, mostly due to me. I've forgotten how to get around busy interstates. We've seen a few of the girls at the hotel where we're staying though, and most are pretty excited. I am thankful that they have a bedtime… some of them have been around me all evening and just now left. How's Nathan been doing? I hope he's not been too much trouble for you and Jason."

"Nathan's fine. Jason's enjoying himself, as usual," laughed Trini. "We've already gotten Nathan's costume for Halloween because Jason didn't want to wait until tomorrow to shop for it. You'll never believe what Jason decided on."

"I think the question is do I even want to know?"

"Well it's something that's a little famous…"

"I have no idea, Trini. You know I'm not good at guessing games."

"It's also red…" added Trini.

"You don't mean he…"

"Yes, I do mean it. Nathan will be the red Dino Thunder Ranger for Halloween. Jason wanted him to be red like he used to be. I really couldn't stop him, besides trying to get him to choose yellow, but you know how Jason is. He refused to dress Nathan in a girl's costume."

"I don't blame him," laughed Kimberly.

"He's come up with a scheme too," replied Trini. "He wants to take Nathan trick-or-treating for you."

"Why would he want to do that? I remember watching endless parades of parents do it when I was a teenager and how tired they looked. They didn't seem to care one way or another. Jason used to make fun of those parents. Why does he want to be one?"

"He's figured it's the best way to get free candy for himself. He does love sweets, but I always refuse to buy them all the time for him because they cost so much."

"So just because there's something in it for him, he wants to go? I don't mind if he does. I'm going along as well because it is Nathan's first Halloween. You want to come as well? The more the merrier."

"Might as well. We hadn't planned our little get together until later on anyway. As long as I have everything ready before we leave, we should be set. I'll just have to leave Tommy an extra key just in case."

Kimberly decided to change the subject before Trini went any further. She wasn't in the mood to hear about Tommy right now, even they were friends again. She was just more eager to hear about her son than her past ex boyfriend. "Did Nathan do all right this evening?"

"He did really well. He enjoyed his bath and he went to bed around eight thirty. Jason's tending to him now because he just woke up."

"He tends to do that when he's unfamiliar with a place. He did it after we lost the house and when we first moved to San Rio."

"How often doing the night?"

"Usually only two or three times, but he usually goes back to sleep pretty easily. Just put his blanket back over him and rub his tummy. That's what has always worked best."

"I'll keep that in mind and let Jason know. Oh, here he comes now," added Trini as Jason softly closed the door to the guest room again. "Would you like to talk with him?"

"Sure. Put him on." Kimberly listened to the background noise as the phone changed hands.

"Hey Kim," called the masculine voice from the other end.

"How's the surrogate father doing?" asked Kimberly, laughter evident in her voice.

"He's doing quite well. He's got his little boy's Halloween costume already picked out and everything."

"So your wife told me," replied Kimberly. "You better not have spent too much on his costume."

"I didn't!" protested Jason.

"Somehow I don't believe that…" trailed Kimberly.

"Believe what you want," retorted Jason.

"How have you and Nathan gotten along?" Kimberly asked, changing the subject.

"Really well, though he kept spitting his dinner back out at me and would only eat it for Trini. I just put him back to bed. I think he had some sort of nightmare. He really liked having his belly rubbed, so I kept that up and he fell asleep rather quickly. Oh, that reminds me. Is it all right if I take him trick-or-treating on Halloween?"

"I already told Trini you could, and yes you can have all the candy, but leave some mini Hershey bars for me."

"You can have those. I have more important candy to keep on the lookout for."

"Reese's cups?" asked Kimberly, knowing full well that they were one of Jason's favorites.

"Of course," he answered solemnly.

"Well, I'm going to let you go now, Jason. Is there anything else Trini wanted to tell me?" asked Kimberly.

Jason motioned to Trini and lip spoke to her Kimberly's question, to which she shook her head. "Nah, she's good," replied Jason.

"Okay then. I'll talk to both of you tomorrow evening. Give Nathan my love. Oh and Jason?"

"Yeah?"

"No more spoiling him while I'm away all right? You don't have to spend so much on him, though I know you love to."

"Are you sure, Kim?" asked Jason.

"Yeah… I feel bad about it… don't ask me why though."

"You have my promise then, Kim. We'll talk to you tomorrow. Bye."

"Bye Jason."

Jason hung up the phone and then joined Trini on the couch again. "Kimberly chide you again?" asked Trini.

"Just a little," he replied. Then his face turned serious. "Trini, do you think someday soon we'll have a child of our own?"

"As soon as we both agree we're ready for the responsibility, love," replied Trini softly.

Jason kissed the top of her head. "I think we are," he whispered back.

**So Nathan will be trick-or-treating as the Red Dino Thunder Ranger... and what's this exchange between Trini and Jason? Are they wanting child?**

**Next time on Unlucky Clover: Kimberly returns from the gymnastics meet to find a surprise waiting for her at Jason and Trini's. What does she find, and why is it Jason's fault? Find out in chapter 12: Pumpkin Guts and Toilet Paper!  
**


	12. Pumpkin Guts and Toilet Paper

**Well in the spirit of October and Halloween, as well as the chapters of Unlucky Clover colliding with Halloween, I will say that as I have things planned, UC will be updated each week, unless something truly prevents me from getting to write a new chapter. As I have it planned, chapters 14, 15, and 16 will deal with the Halloween night, with (hopefully) chapter 16 being posted on Halloween. I'm putting Windmill on hold to accomplish this, but I think it'll be worth it. That's what happens when you try doing two fics at once...anyway, this is one of my favorite chapters of my fic thus far. I had a lot of fun with it, so I hope you all enjoy it too.**

**Edit: Thanks to Mrs. Desantos for catching my mistake in this chapter. It's fixed and replaced with new content. If you don't know what I'm talking about then that's all the better, lol.**

**Chapter 12 Pumpkin Guts and Toilet Paper**

Kimberly didn't return from her gymnastic meet until Sunday evening. She pulled into the Scotts' driveway, and was very thankful she was almost home. The weekend had been stressful, not to mention hectic. She didn't want to do another meet like that for a long while. She'd forgotten how hyperactive and overly dramatic girls could be. She'd heard enough petty fights to last her a few weeks. She wondered if she had been this bad when she was their age. Then she remembered—her middle school nickname had been Drama Queen Hart. Where there had been drama, there had been Kimberly. She was glad that nickname had left her by the time she'd hit high school.

She smiled at the distant memory. She really had been overactive back then, whether it be to drama or something that scared her. She supposed that had something to do with Tommy. She'd fainted an awful lot during her Ranger days, but then again she enjoyed having him to bring her around. What teenage girl wouldn't have wanted him to do that? She couldn't deny, even now, that he'd been one of those teenage heartthrobs like those boys in the magazines.

Turning off the engine, she removed her keys and placed them in her purse. She was glad she was finally going to see Nathan again. She'd missed him all weekend and hoped he'd adjusted well to staying overnight with Jason and Trini. She knew Trini and Jason had told her he had, but she didn't know if that was really the truth or not. She chided herself for being so cautious. How would she even know? Only Nathan would, and he couldn't talk yet! It was as though she expected him to start conversing about how his weekend had been, as though he were one of the babies on _Rugrats._

Laughing to herself, Kimberly made her way to the front door and rang the doorbell. The door swung open before the first chime had finished and Kimberly was face to face with a slightly messy Jason. "Jason, what happened to you? You smell like…. pumpkin." Then it hit her. Jason was supposed to help Nathan carve his first pumpkin while she was away.

"Pumpkins and babies don't mix…" he muttered, gesturing her inside.

Kimberly made her way to the kitchen where she heard Trini talking to a fussing Nathan. When she entered, she gasped, then burst into laughter. Pumpkin bits covered the table, Nathan, and Trini. Jason reflected the same image.

"Kimberly Tyree it's not funny!" called Trini.

Kimberly covered her mouth to keep herself from laughing. "I'm sorry," she stated from behind her hand. "I just didn't think you'd have such a mess from pumpkin carving."

"It's Jason's fault," huffed Trini. "He was the one to let Nathan play with the pumpkin guts. He was the one who decided that Nathan should have the 'whole experience'. He was the one who didn't expect Nathan to begin chucking the guts everywhere, laughing at his newfound plaything."

"How was I supposed to know he was going to throw it everywhere? I thought he'd just try to eat it," protested Jason.

"He's a baby, Jason. You always expect that."

"Well excuse me for not knowing," he retorted.

Kimberly could no longer hold back and let her laughter fly. When Trini and Jason glared at her, she only laughed even harder. Nathan looked at his mother, wondering what the strange sound coming from her was. "Guys..I..I…I'm sorry… but it's so…funny!"

"Glad you find it funny," muttered Trini.

Kimberly set her purse down, making sure the area she chose on the counter wasn't covered in pumpkin guts first. She made her way over to Trini and Nathan. "Here, let me help you," she offered.

Trini smiled at her. "I don't think Nathan can go home messy. If you'd like, you can take him upstairs to the bathroom and give him a bath. I don't think you want to deal with a sticky baby."

"Thank you," answered Kimberly.

"Remember, upstairs and the second door on the left."

"Thanks. Is his diaper bag up there too?"

"No, it's by the door," answered Trini as she began pulling pumpkin guts from her hair.

"Thank you," replied Kimberly, picking her messy son up from his seat. She began making her way up the stairs after grabbing his bag. "Look at all the trouble my Bubby caused," she whispered to him. She smiled and Nathan let out a small giggle.

Once in the bathroom, Kimberly sat Nathan on the tile floor, searching in his bag for a change of clothes, a new diaper, and a spare gallon-sized plastic bag to place his messy clothes in.

Nathan began crawling around the bathroom floor, and he found the roll of toilet paper, the roll dangling just enough so that he could reach it. He laughed as his pudgy hand pulled at the strand, pulling more and more down to his level. Kimberly turned and gasped in horror at the mess he was making. "Nathan!" she exclaimed. She quickly picked him up and placed him away from the toilet paper he was enjoying so much. She then tried to roll it all back up, but it didn't look the greatest. Nathan began to cry; he didn't like losing his play thing.

It was at this point Trini entered the bathroom and found a frustrated Kimberly and a crying Nathan. "What happened here?" she asked, a slight smile playing on her face. Kimberly was now having to deal with that rotten child of hers.

"Nathan decided that toilet paper was more fun than a bath," answered Kimberly weakly.

Trini smiled. "Would you like some help?" she offered, picking up Nathan and sitting on the toilet.

"Thank you," answered Kimberly. "Won't Jason have too much too clean up on his own?"

"Actually, he told me to come up with you. I think he feels bad about creating the mess and wanted to clean it up. You should see the pumpkin that he carved with Nathan though. It's very cute."

"What'd they carve?"

"A very simple scary face. Then Jason added some paint to it."

"I can't wait to see it. That reminds me. I still find it funny that Jason decided on a red Ranger for Nathan."

"Me either but you know Jason…" began Trini.

"Oh dear… is that a bad thing?"

"Depends on what you define bad as. He was really very pleased with himself. I'm now wondering if Jason will dress up to match him."

"You don't think he'd be a Ranger himself, do you?" asked Kimberly.

"He does have his costume now. Tommy sent ours to us a few years back."

"Or maybe he'd decide to go as some type of monster…"

"I think he might stick to the side of good, though it would be funny to see Nathan whacking him over the head a few times."

Kimberly laughed. "I would pay to see that!"

"No kidding. If he did do his Ranger uniform, he'd probably ask if I'd wear mine too." Trini smiled to herself as she began removing Nathan's clothing.

"Wouldn't that draw too much attention?" asked Kimberly as she began to draw some bath water into the tub.

"Well it would, but not about us being Power Rangers once upon a time. There are always big toy and anime conventions nearby and we could always tell people we designed these costumes for one of them" answered Trini. "You'd be surprised at the accuracy some of the costumes people create have."

Kimberly checked the water temperature before taking her naked son from Trini's arms. She sat Nathan in a sitting position, holding him by his waist. Nathan balled his hands into fists and began splashing in the water, laughing. Kimberly turned her head, trying to avoid the water bullets her son was sending her way.

"He did that to Jason all weekend," laughed Trini.

"I guess I deserve it for missing him all weekend," replied Kimberly. Trini handed Kimberly a plastic cup that was sitting on the sink. Kimberly took it and began pouring water over Nathan's body. He tried to smack the cup away.

Trini grabbed the bottle of baby body wash from Nathan's bad and knelt beside Kimberly. "Need a hand?" she asked.

Kimberly smiled. "Sure. He's being a little feisty tonight."

Trini lathered Nathan up as Kimberly held him in place. Nathan picked up the discarded plastic cup and began sucking on the lip. Kimberly smiled. "He's so cute when he does that," she said.

Nathan giggled and threw the cup against the water, laughing even more when it splashed back. "He's a big water baby," added Trini.

When Trini took the cup away, Nathan was ready to throw a fit. He didn't want to lose his fun toy. Trini began rinsing the soap off of his body while Kimberly shampooed the little bit of hair he had. Nathan squirmed and Kimberly knew how much he hated having his hair washed. He started whining.

Kimberly quickly finished up the shampooing and held Nathan back while Trini rinsed out the shampoo. "Got a towel?" asked Kimberly.

"Here you are," answered Trini, handing her a blue fluffy towel.

Kimberly wrapped Nathan up in the towel and he giggled. "Who's a cute baby? My little Bubby is, that's right."

Trini watched the tender moment between mother and son. It was touching. She was glad that Kimberly was now living in San Rio. It seemed to be where she belonged. Kimberly loved her new life, and she didn't have to worry about a husband who didn't care about her son. Kimberly was free to love her son and make sure he got exactly what he deserved.

Jason opened the bathroom door. "Well, well what do we have here? Two beautiful ladies and a lovely young boy."

Kimberly laughed. "That would be us, Jason."

"Did you get everything cleaned up dear?" asked Trini.

Jason leaned over and removed a piece of pumpkin from Trini's hair. "I got everything in the _kitchen_ cleaned up."

Trini's face became flushed and Kimberly laughed. She began drying Nathan off and laid him down to put a diaper on him. He was once again near the toilet paper. His little hands reached up to grab the piece that hung down. Unknowingly, Jason reached down and pulled the strand just low enough for Nathan's fingers to grab.

Nathan laughed and pulled hard. The roll began unwinding. "Jason!" exclaimed both of the women at once.

"What? He's just having fun," protested Jason.

"That _fun_ cost me four dollars."

"Technically it was only a dollar since it was part of a four pack," retorted Jason.

"Jason, I'm serious."

Jason stopped joking. "I'm sorry dear. I went too far." He began rolling the toilet paper back up, much to Nathan's displeasure.

Kimberly watched the exchange between the couple. She wished that was how her marriage would have been. At least Jason took an interest in her son. He also cared a lot about his wife… any fool could see that. She felt a pang deep in her heart. She wanted someone to share that with. Someone to love her and love back. Someone who could give her son the loving he needed too.

Trini handed the spaced out Kimberly Nathan's spare clothes—a pair of grey sweat pants and a blue t-shirt. "Earth to Kimberly! Earth to Kimberly!" she called.

Kimberly shook herself out of her reverie. "Heh, sorry." She took the clothes and slipped the pants onto Nathan, standing him up so she could pull them up all the way. Trini then held Nathan so that Kimberly could slip his shirt on. "There's my cute little boy."

"Now that the little rotten baby is cleaned up, who wants to see his pumpkin?" asked Jason.

Kimberly and Trini rose to their feet, Nathan in Kimberly's arms. "I'd love to see the pumpkin you two worked so hard on," answered Kimberly.

The group went downstairs. Kimberly sat Nathan by the pumpkin and smiled. It was so cute. Trini handed her a camera. "Take some pictures. You can't miss this."

Kimberly snapped pictures. Jason stood beside Nathan and Trini turned down the lights. Kimberly snapped the photo. When the film was developed later, Jason would be grinning behind the carved pumpkin while Nathan was in mid-clap, a big smile on his face. It was the perfect way to end the perfect weekend.

**Nathan's just too much fun... like his real life counterpart. I'm currently working on chapter 14, and you all know I'm going to kill my backlog with this posting stuff, right? Just a warning! The next chapter is kinda a break between this and the Halloween trio. I promise you'll enjoy it and you'll find out more about Kimberly's time with Andrew. I'll also entertain you with a few true facts that part of the chapter is based on. So until next friday or saturday!**


	13. The Memories Come Forth

**Okay here is chapter 13 for everyone. I'm not getting as much writing done as I thought I'd be able to so things are moving very slowly. October is a very busy month, schoolwise. I will nevertheless try my best to keep things up to par. Chapter 14 is close to being finished as we speak and I will soon begin chapter 15. I'm hoping to keep up with things, but next weekend writing opportunities are pretty much shot because I have other plans. Anyway, enough of my excuses and on with the chapter. **

**Chapter 13 The Memories Come Forth  
**

Kimberly put Nathan to bed as soon as she arrived home. After she was sure he'd sleep soundly for at least a few hours, she made her way back to her car to get Nathan's pumpkin and costume. She set both on the table, took a seat, and pulled Nathan's costume from its plastic bag. She laid the suit on the table and sat the gloves with it. Socks were included to be the boots. There was also a pull over mask that would leave Nathan's face entirely open, but she doubted he'd wear that. She rose again and found a lighter, lighting the candle inside the pumpkin. An eerie light was cast over the room as the candle began to burn brightly.

She brought her hands together, resting her chin on top. She wanted to try so hard to make this first Halloween special, not only for Nathan but for herself as well. She wanted things to go right. As she stared off into space, she remembered the first time Andrew lashed out. It was shortly after Nathan had been brought home from the hospital. Before that point, everything seemed perfect. Andrew had visited his wife often, showering both wife and son with kisses and love. Friends and family had commented on how loving of a father he would turn out to be.

_It's too bad they all thought wrong_ thought Kimberly bitterly. What had made Andrew snap, she didn't know. At first, she had thought it was the stress of having a new baby in the household. She had read articles during her pregnancy about how new babies can cause unnecessary anger and emotions before everyone adjusted. She had prepared herself for this, had discussed it with Andrew, but it obviously had gone in one ear and out the other. He never adjusted. She hated to think how he would have been if he hadn't been killed in that car accident. She was certain that a divorce would have soon come about if he had lived. She realized how dark and bitter she sounded and tried to change her mood, but the memories continued to come forward.

The worst part had been no one else knew what she did. She knew they probably wouldn't believe her if she told them. Andrew's death had stopped the pain she felt. It took away the fright she'd feel every time a fight occurred. It gave her back her life, the one she used to have. It allowed her to give her son the life he should have, instead of having to hear the fighting and screaming. She hated that Nathan always had to be around whenever she and Andrew fought. She didn't want Nathan to hear all the anger-laced words that were exchanged between the two.

Kimberly knew the worst memory she held. It involved the very first time Andrew had changed. She hadn't been expecting it at all. It was shortly after she'd come home from the hospital with Nathan….

**Flashback**

Kimberly glanced down at the child cradled in her arms. She had him wrapped in a light blue fuzzy blanket for warmth. He slept soundly, his tiny hands curled into fists. Every so often his mouth would suckle at air. She smiled lovingly at him, her fingers running over one of his hands gently. "So beautiful," she murmured. Indeed, she thought he was the most beautiful baby she'd ever laid her eyes on.

The two sat in the giant rocking chair in the nursery. Months ago she and Andrew had finished painting the room a hunter green. They had decided on a neutral jungle theme for their baby. The crib was painted with scenes of the jungle. Lush green leaves covered every inch of it. One of Andrew's friends had offered to paint a crib if the couple gave him one. It was his gift to them at Kimberly's baby shower. Kimberly had searched many yard sales to find a cheap crib in good shape, one that would be perfect for painting. She'd found a crib and a matching wooden changing table after a few weeks of extensive searching in the area. Andrew's friend had painted both, even though Kimberly had reminded him that he'd only offered to paint the crib. The man had been stubborn and persisted. In another corner of the nursery sat a toy box. It had been given to the couple by Kimberly's friend Jessica, one of her gymnastic teammates for Pan Globals. There were a few baby toys inside, with stuffed animals arranged on top.

It had only been a week, and Kimberly still couldn't believe the child she held was really her own. Her pregnancy had been longer than expected. Nathan was to have been born on Halloween, but he was late. October thirty-first had come and gone without Nathan being born. Kimberly had become nervous as the days passed, thinking something was wrong with the child inside her. Her doctor had set up an appointment to see her. Kimberly remembered the day clearly.

November twelfth had begun normally. Kimberly prepared herself to go to the hospital, taking Mrs. James with her. Mrs. James had refused to let Kimberly drive. She didn't want Kimberly going into labor while driving. The two made the two hour drive to the hospital and Kimberly's checkup began. Then the labor pains began. Doctors and nurses surrounded Kimberly and time slowed down. She remembered Mrs. James calling Andrew to come quick. That evening, Kimberly held a new baby boy in her arms. She and Andrew had named him Nathan Andrew Tyree. Andrew had wanted his son to carry on his name, but he didn't want him being called Andrew all the time. He wanted to avoid the father-son mix-up. So they'd made Andrew the baby's middle name and had added Nathan for a first name.

Kimberly rocked back and forth, using only the toes of her right foot. The stay at the hospital hadn't been too bad. Friends and family came every day. Andrew managed to make it very often. He always brought some small gifts with him, something for her and something for Nathan. The blue fuzzy blanket had been one of those gifts. "To keep our son close to your heart," he had whispered to her.

The door opened and Kimberly glanced up. Andrew glared back at her. "What's wrong, Andrew?" she asked softly, trying to be careful not to wake Nathan.

"I told you dinner was ready twenty minutes ago. Where have you been?" he hissed angrily.

"I just got Nathan to sleep again… he wasn't consoled by simply being fed. I had to rock him."

"I worked hard to make a good dinner for us… do you know how hard it was for me to take a break and do that?" Andrew's voice grew louder and Kimberly winced. She didn't want Nathan to wake again. It had taken her a long time to settle him.

"I'm sorry, Andrew, but Nathan wouldn't settle."

"If you'd let him cry, we wouldn't have all these interruptions!" yelled Andrew, finally snapping.

An infant's wail rang throughout the room. "I can't believe you, Andrew! I just got him back to sleep!" hissed Kimberly as she rocked Nathan back and forth, hugging him close to her breast.

Andrew stomped closer and took Nathan from Kimberly's arms. He cradled the child as he should, but he wasn't gentle about it. He quickly made his way to the crib and jammed his foot on the railing release. As soon as it had slammed down, Andrew placed the crying Nathan in his crib and slammed the railing back up. He then turned toward Kimberly. "Let him cry and come down to dinner," he said in a fake voice.

"You think I'm hungry after what you did?" spat Kimberly.

"Fine! Don't come eat! I'll throw out whatever I don't eat and you'll suffice with whatever is in the kitchen!" Andrew turned and walked out, slamming the nursery door behind him.

Kimberly fell back into the rocking chair and felt the tears come forth. She had no idea what had just happened. What was wrong with Andrew? She had never seen him like this before. Why had he lashed out? She rose to her feet and made her way to Nathan's crib. She lowered the railing and leaned over to rub his stomach. "Shhh….shhh…it's all right Nathan…it's all right, Bubby…Mommy's here…" she cooed.

Nathan's cries began to die down to whimpers and Kimberly felt much better. She continued to rub his stomach and watched his eyes close, drifting off to sleep. Kimberly let out a sigh of relief. She was glad that he'd go back to sleep. She made her way back to the rocking chair and sat down. She tried to calm down and prepare herself to go downstairs, but she was afraid to come face to face with Andrew again. Instead, she rocked back and forth, watching the time pass on the clock hanging on the wall next to the door. First fifteen minutes, then a half hour, and finally an hour passed. She finally rose from the chair, hoping that she had given him enough time to eat and disappear.

The stairs creaked as she crept down to the kitchen. She listened intently, hoping there would be some clue as to where Andrew was. She couldn't hear anything. When she reached the bottom of the stairs, she noticed that the door to Andrew's study was shut. She made her way to the door, and placed her ear gingerly against it, not daring to breathe least he hear her. She strained to listen and was relieved when she heard the shuffling of papers from within.

Kimberly tiptoed away from the door and made her way to the kitchen. Now that she knew Andrew had shut himself in his study, she could breathe easier. She turned on the lights and noticed that Andrew had cleared away dinner, but not the dishes. They were all piled in the sink, dirty and grimy. She turned to the refrigerator and looked inside. Sure enough, there were no new leftovers on the shelves. Her stomach growled and she knew she needed to eat something. She searched the shelves, finding a plate of chicken, green beans, and mashed potatoes from dinner two nights ago. It would do. It would have to do.

As Kimberly crawled into bed later that night, she turned and looked to the empty spot beside her. Andrew hadn't come to bed yet and she knew it was almost eleven-thirty. A cry came from down the hall and she knew Nathan was hungry again. She rose wearily and made her way to his room, keeping an eye out for Andrew in the hallway. She closed Nathan's door behind her and made her way to his crib. She picked Nathan up and held him to her shoulder, whispering to him to try and calm him. She sat in the rocking chair and began to nurse him. Nathan readily quieted when he was offered food.

When Kimberly returned to bed that night, Andrew still hadn't come to bed. It was after midnight and she knew he had school in the morning. She pulled the comforter tightly about her and tried to drift off to sleep. The day's thoughts were still in the front of her mind, and they occupied her for awhile before she finally fell asleep.

**End Flashback**

That was the first of many nights that Andrew wouldn't come to bed. Eventually Kimberly had figured out that he slept on the pullout couch in the living room. She knew that every time there was an argument, Andrew would avoid her the rest of the day. Andrew also began avoiding Nathan more and more. Kimberly remembered that the worst part about it was she had no one to confide in. She hadn't gotten to know any of the neighbors well and the only person she really knew was Nathan's babysitter.

Kimberly's thoughts turned to the oldest child in the family. That girl had always given her strange looks, as though she suspected something was going on. Kimberly knew Andrew taught high school science and she knew it was possible for the girl to have him as a teacher. Whatever it was, Kimberly felt as though the girl knew what was going on inside her home. It was creepy.

Kimberly rose from the table and put Nathan's costume back into its bag. She would hang it in his closet in the morning. The pumpkin grinned back at her, the slightly scary face casting a strange glow on the wall. "Well Jason, you certain have made Halloween memorable already…" she murmured to herself.

She laughed and blew the candle out, watching the wisps of smoke curl into the air before fading. She made her way to her bedroom and changed before crawling into bed. This was going to be a memorable holiday after all. She knew her friends wouldn't let it turn out otherwise.

The next Saturday Kimberly was feeding Nathan when the telephone rang. She rose to get it and cradled the receiver between her shoulder and ear. "Hello?" she called, sitting back down. She cut more pieces of pancake for Nathan, who picked the pieces up and placed them in his mouth.

"Hey Kim. It's Jason."

"What's up?" asked Kimberly.

"Trini and I have set up the details for the Halloween get-together. Since Halloween falls on a Tuesday this year, our neighborhood is doing trick-or-treating for the children on Saturday because they don't want it interfering with a school night. Trick-or-treating starts at six, so we figured you should meet over here around 5:30 or so."

"That'll work out fine. Nathan usually eats right before that so he won't be hungry," answered Kimberly.

Jason continued. "After the trick-or-treating, we'll come back here to finish preparing things for our party. Tommy will be here around seven with the Dino Thunder gang. All of them were able to make it home but Ethan. Something about a big project coming up."

"Will there be anyone else there?"

"Tommy mentioned Hayley coming too. It's just going to be one big get-together of friends. Trini's already began planning snacks to serve."

"I can help her out. There's too many people to make all that food for by herself," offered Kimberly.

"I'm sure she'd like that. She won't let me help out. Something about pranks."

Kimberly laughed and noticed Nathan reaching for his sipper cup. She picked up the cup of milk and tilted it so Nathan could suck out the milk. "I wouldn't doubt that, Jason."

"You shouldn't side up with her. You don't know what she's talking about."

"Oh but I do…" answered Kimberly mysteriously.

Kimberly heard Trini's voice in the background and then Jason's muffled response. "I've got to go, Kim. Trini has some work for me to do. Remember, the twenty-eighth at five thirty."

"I'll mark next Saturday on the calendar. Bye Jason."

"Bye Kim."

Kimberly rose and hung the telephone back on the receiver. She turned to see Nathan smiling back up at her, mouth full of pancake. He babbled happily. She made a notation of the party on the calendar. She was really looking forward to the event, more than she first thought she would. Nothing could ruin her happiness.

**Well I did say last chapter that I would write up how Nathan's character relates to me. For one, his birthday is the same day as my own, November 12th. The second reason is he too was to be born on Halloween, just like me. The story of him being born is somewhat similar to my own. Finally, the mention of the crib being bought yardsale and painted stemmed from what my parents did for me. They bought an ugly white crib at a yard sale and dad worked on it, making a beautiful shiny brown crib that was used for all my sibs too. I think the last thing is Nathan's original costume. I was a football player my first Halloween. I wore a green jersey and the helmet was used for candy. **

** And there you have my notes. Next chapter: Kimberly mets two people straight off at the party... one's old and one's new. Who does she meet that's new? (Not a contest, just seeing who can guess correctly)  
**


	14. An ExRanger Halloween Pt 1

**So here is chapter 14 for all of you. I had fun with it, but it was a pain there at first. Once I got started... well we all know how that goes. Chapter 15 should be up by next Friday and then we'll see if I'm able to get chapter 16 out on Halloween. After 16 I may not post for a few weeks until I get some more work done for Windmill. Enjoy. **

**Chapter 14 An Ex-Ranger Halloween Part 1  
**

Kimberly hummed to herself, getting Nathan into his costume. Nathan, of course, had other ideas. He was happy to be in just his diaper and tried to roll over and crawl away every time Kimberly reached for something or turned her head for more than a second. For the third time, Kimberly caught him by his foot and gently pulled him back. "Get back here, Bubby. You have to be put in your costume. Jason will be so disappointed if you don't."

Nathan babbled back at her. Kimberly slipped the one piece suit over his feet and then pulled his arms into it. She stood him up on the bed, placing one arm around his shoulders as she used the other to zip up the back. She laid Nathan back on the bed and placed the socks on his bare feet. She hesitated on putting the gloves on, finally deciding to wait. She didn't want Nathan trying to suck on his fingers and soaking the gloves before it was even time to go to Jason and Trini's.

Once Nathan was dressed, she placed him on the floor, first making sure there was nothing that he'd get into. She gave him a few of his toys to keep him occupied while she dressed in her own costume. Nathan reached for his favorite soft rattle and began sucking away. Kimberly smiled before going to her closet to find the pieces of her costume.

She pulled out a long black dress that tapered off the side. The short side stopped just at her knees while the other side stopped below the knee. She changed out of her day clothes and slipped into the dress. She admired herself in the mirror before making her way over to her makeup vanity. She turned and looked at Nathan again, making sure he wasn't getting himself into trouble. He looked back at her, a small plastic ball in his hands. He raised his hands and tossed it at her, then laughed.

Kimberly rolled the ball gently back to him before turning around. She pulled out the jar of white face and body cream before putting it back. She had bought it to make herself paler, but now she thought of Nathan. She didn't want to scare him. Instead, she pulled out a tube of bright red lipstick and began to apply that. Satisfied she rose and grabbed the overcoat from her closet. She slipped it on and looked herself over again in the mirror. She turned to Nathan. "How does mommy look?" she asked him. She was greeted with a smile half hidden by a blue rubber duck. Kimberly smiled at her son, picking him up. It was almost time to leave and she wanted to take a picture of Nathan in his costume. She didn't doubt that Jason or Trini would take pictures of him as well, but these she wanted for her own personal keepsakes.

Nathan was set on the couch, his pumpkin bucket beside him. Kimberly had to admit it was cheesy, but he did need something to get candy in. _Candy for Jason_ thought Kimberly. Then she realized that was the way to get him to carry the bucket. If he wanted the candy, then he'd just have to carry Nathan's pumpkin bucket. That way, she wouldn't have to carry Nathan and the candy at the same time.

She opened the shutter on the camera and waited for it to give a ready signal. She zoomed in some, all the while chattering to Nathan to keep him focused on her. "Nathan, look at mommy. Watch the camera, Bubby. Give mommy a big smile!" she cooed in a baby-like voice.

Nathan laughed and flashed her a smile, his hands in the air. Kimberly snapped the picture and the flash surprised Nathan; he began blinking to get rid of the unfamiliar feeling in his eyes. He rubbed at his eyes.

Fifteen minutes later, Kimberly had Nathan strapped into his car seat and was headed for the Scotts'. She'd made sure to pack plenty in his diaper bag and knew that at some point she'd probably end up with some off-comment about her bringing too much once again. She didn't know how long that she'd be out or what Nathan would end up doing, but she wanted to be prepared. In addition to the supplies, she'd also brought Nathan's pumpkin too; Jason had wanted to display it at the party.

It wasn't long before she pulled into the driveway and noticed that there were also some unfamiliar cars parked alongside the road as well. It wasn't long before the front door opened and a figure made their way to her. She smiled when she saw Jason, dressed up in a priest's outfit. He wore a long white robe with the cross emblem on the chest. She laughed at him and smiled. "Nice costume, Jason," she called, stepping out of the vehicle.

"Same to you… what are you supposed to be?" asked Jason.

"I'm supposed to be a vampire."

"Isn't your skin glowing a little too much?"

"I was afraid that the white cream would scare Nathan."

"And your teeth?"

"Ick. Only wearing those when we take Nathan out," replied Kimberly. "Do you know how disgusting those things are?"

Jason laughed. Kimberly was still the same as she was when she was a teenager. Some things simply didn't change. Jason opened the door to the back of the car. "I do say that Nathan makes a handsome red Ranger," he commented. "Yep, he takes after me."

Kimberly rolled her eyes. "Just get the pumpkin. I don't see why you had me lug that thing back here."

"Everybody loves pumpkins. It's not Halloween without one."

Kimberly lifted the pumpkin and placed it in Jason's arms. "Happy Halloween then," she grinned.

Jason took the pumpkin from her and waited while she unstrapped Nathan. Kimberly hefted the diaper bag onto her shoulder, making sure that the rest of Nathan's costume was in his bag. Then she lifted Nathan from his seat and into her arms. "I can't see much of him, but he makes a great red Ranger," commented Jason. "He reminds me of someone…"

Kimberly rolled her eyes, even though she knew Jason would not see her. "Yes Jason. He reminds me of you."

"Bingo!"

The two friends made their way to the front door. Jason shifted the pumpkin in his arms so that he could have a free hand to open the door. He pushed it open, and gestured Kimberly inside. She stepped into the hall, noticing all the decorations all over. Spider webs covered the tables, knickknacks, and stairs. The lights had been dimmed, with white candles lit. As Kimberly entered the living room, she noticed a long, buffet style table with a few trays of snacks on it. Jason set Nathan's pumpkin in the center, reaching for a lighter that lay on the back of the table. He lit the candle inside. "There, now it's a party," he grinned.

Kimberly laughed and turned her attention to the living room. She saw two people sitting on the couch; one she recognized, the other she didn't. Haley sat there chatting with another young woman. The two had watched Kimberly walk in the door with Nathan, but had remained silent before Haley continued chatting with the other guest. The two rose to meet Kimberly, and Jason smiled. Jason turned to face Haley and the other guest. "Kimberly, I'd like you to meet Kira, one of Tommy's Rangers. Kira, this is Kimberly, first…."

Kira interrupted him. "First pink Ranger." She offered a hand and Kimberly juggled Nathan in her arms, thrusting out her right hand to take Kira's. She shook it warmly.

"Is this your son?" asked Haley.

Kimberly nodded. "This is Nathan."

"How old is he?" asked Kira, curious.

"A year next month," replied Kimberly, smiling.

"He's so cute…" cooed Kira.

Haley spoke up. "How have things been, Kimberly?"

Kimberly smiled. "Very busy, but things are falling into place. Nathan and I are getting by thanks to all the help everyone's given us."

"You'll have to stop in the Cyber Space sometime before work and chat again," offered Haley.

Kimberly agreed. "I'll see what I can do," she replied. Kimberly kept glancing at Kira out of the corner of her eye. Then she noticed the guitar laying by the coach. "Do you play?" she asked, nodding in the direction of the guitar as she set Nathan's diaper bag down by the coat rack.

A light flush became noticeable on Kira's face. "Yeah… I used to have a band in high school, but we split up after graduation. I play every so often. I hope to get a record deal one of these days."

Kimberly took a seat on the couch and Kira sat beside her. Haley sat in the reclining chair across from the two. "Would you like me to hold Nathan for you?" she asked Kimberly.

"Sure," answered Kimberly, handing the mini Dino Ranger over to Haley. To Kira she said, "I used to play back in high school too. I continued for a few years after that, but I haven't picked up a guitar in years."

"Really? I don't meet many people who actually play still."

Kimberly nodded. "Do you mind playing a little for me?"

"Not at all," answered Kira, smiling.

Kira picked up her guitar and began strumming a few notes before beginning to sing a chorus piece to one of the first pieces she had composed. "Trying hard to figure out. Tell me what it's all about. 'Cause I don't wanna freak you out, freak you out…" Here she stopped and looked over to Kimberly.

"I like it," replied Kimberly after a few seconds. "You sound very talented."

"Thanks," replied Kira, grinning.

While the two had been talking, Jason had gone back into the kitchen to assist Trini with the last bits of food preparations. The couple walked out carrying food trays and Kimberly rose to her feet. "Is there anything I can carry?" she asked.

"There's one more tray in the kitchen," called Trini as she juggled two trays. Kimberly made her way to Trini and took one of the trays out of her hands. She noticed that Trini had dressed up for the holiday as well, wearing a yellow and black cheerleader outfit, with white pompom shoes. The top cut off about mid-section and the skirt came to midway down her hips. Kimberly wondered if Jason had enticed her into wearing it. A priest and a cheerleader was a strange couple combination.

"I'll get that one after I help with this one," she said, smiling and taking the tray to the buffet table. It held little Halloween shaped Jello jigglers. There were pumpkins, bats, ghosts, and cats. Some were orange while others were a deep purple. She then made her way to the kitchen to retrieve the other tray, which had crackers with lunch meat and cheese. The lunch meat had been cut into squares and placed on the crackers. The cheese was ripped into shapes to make little faces on the crackers. Kimberly didn't know whether Jason or Trini had made the tray, but whoever had had put a lot of time into a treat that would be gone in a matter of seconds. When Kimberly set it with the other trays, she checked out the rest of the food. While she wasn't looking, Jason set the tray on top of a small bowl of ice to keep the meat and cheese cool. There was a tray of celery and apple slices with peanut butter spread on the pieces. Faces were made in the apple slices with marshmallows and raisins were placed on the celery to make ants. Another tray held a mixture of chips in bowls. A final tray held a mixture of Halloween cookies. Kimberly recognized the sugar cookies with the pumpkin faces and bats already baked in. She also saw chocolate chip cookies in which the chocolate chips were orange pumpkins and white ghosts. She turned around just as Jason returned from the kitchen carrying an assortment of two-liter bottles. Trini followed behind him carrying a pitcher of water. "There's plates, napkins, and cups in the kitchen still if you can get those for me, Kim," called Trini over her shoulder.

Kimberly returned to the kitchen and grabbed the disposable items. She met Jason on her way out, who was grabbing a smaller cooler. When Kimberly gave him a strange look, he simply answered, "For the ice."

Finally, everything on the buffet table was ready. Trini stepped back and admired her handiwork. All the preparation had paid off, even though she had to keep Jason away from the cookies and Jello jigglers… he kept trying to eat those. She kept rolling her eyes. Jason was such a kid sometimes, but she loved him. She knew part of the reason he was happy was because his closest friends were finally all near him. Trini glanced at her watch. "Well, it's almost six. Who's ready to go trick or treating?" she called.

Kira raised an eyebrow. "Trick or treating?" she asked.

Kimberly answered her. "It was Jason's idea. He wanted to give Nathan a proper Halloween. They carved that pumpkin together and Nathan made a big mess because Jason gave him pumpkin guts…"

"For the last time I did not know he was going to throw them!" interrupted Jason.

"Anyway," continued Kimberly, "We're taking Nathan trick or treating so Jason can have all the candy in the end."

Kira laughed. "I don't think I've ever heard of anyone taking candy from a baby…literally!"

A smile played on Kimberly's lips. She hadn't recognized the irony until Kira had mentioned it. "Well that is true, but that's Jason for you." She made her way to Nathan's diaper bag and pulled out the rest of his costume—the red gloves and the green pumpkin soft bag. She knelt down in front of Haley and began to put the gloves on Nathan's hands. Unfortunately, his fingers didn't want to cooperate and more than once she ended up with two fingers to a glove finger. Finally though, the gloves were in place and Nathan wasn't too frustrated by them. Instead, he seemed fascinated, raising his hands in front of his face. He appeared to be studying the red things covering his fingers. He placed one in his mouth, the soft fabric meeting exploring teeth. It didn't taste too bad….

Kimberly picked up Nathan's bag and then took him from Haley. "So are we all ready?"

"If I had known we were going trick-or-treating, I would have came up with some costume," commented Kira.

"Just bring your guitar along and say you're a rock star," suggested Haley.

"All right," agreed Kira.

Trini and Jason emerged from the kitchen. Kimberly couldn't remember them going back to the kitchen, but then again she'd been busy trying to get Nathan ready to go trick or treating. "We're ready here as well," said Trini.

Kimberly made her way to the door and opened it, jumping in surprise. There stood another new face in front of her and she figured the person was one of Tommy's Rangers. His finger was raised to ring the door bell. A smile crossed his face. "Looks like I got here in time," he stated.

**Trick or Treating is up next... and who is the new guest? And is he really one of Tommy's Rangers?**

**Notes on Costumes: Jason's priest costume was an idea of Harry2. Trini's is my own idea because when I thought about priest, I thought of my brother, who was one a few years ago. His girlfriend dressed as a cheerleader that year. So I put them together in the fic. Kira has no costume and neither does Haley. Kimberly is a vampiress and of course, Nathan is a DT Ranger. As for any others, you'll have to wait and see.**


	15. An ExRanger Halloween Pt 2

**Okay I know this should have been up last weekend, but I just now got it finished. For those of you on my mailing list, I informed you why. For those of you who aren't, I was in an accident last weekend. I hurt my car more than myself, but I'm okay and the car is still driveable. I was too upset and shook up to finish chapter 15. This week has been a week from hell and I've worked on it in my spare free moments, which have sadly been few and far between. I will work on chapter 16 this weekend and hopefully get it up by Sunday. I will try really hard to in any case. As soon as chapter 16 is posted (it will wrap up the Halloween bit), this fic will go on hiatus while I give some much needed attention to Windmill. My goal is to finish that one by the end of the year, but we'll see. Anyway, enjoy the chapter. **

**Chapter 15**

Kimberly stepped back as Jason came forth.

"Welcome Conner. Glad you could make it," he said while offering a hand.

Conner shook it firmly. "Dr. O said not to miss out…" His eyes trailed to Nathan. "Guess he was right. Seems I've got a mini-me already!" he joked.

Kimberly relaxed. The boy seemed nice. He'd even dressed up for the party. He wore a soccer uniform. Kimberly didn't know that he played soccer at the collegiate level, but Kira did and called him out. "Too lazy to get a real costume, Conner?" she asked.

Conner gave her a light glare, but then he noticed Kira's guitar in hand and instantly knew his comeback. "Look who's talking, Miss Rock Star. Gonna play a song for candy?" he teased. He strummed an air guitar as he began to sing, "Oh trick or treat, trick or treat. Give me something good to eeeeeeeeeeeeeaaaaat!"

"Knock it off, McKnight," retorted Kira. "Or I'll bust you up good."

Kimberly watched the playful banter between the two. She couldn't help but wonder if at some point the two had been enemies. Being Rangers together had no doubt changed them. If the two still dressed and acted similar to what they had in high school, Kimberly would find it strange for them not to have been enemies at first. An athlete and an aspiring rock star didn't exactly fit together in the high school hierarchy. She was brought back to reality when she felt a tugging at her hair. Apparently, Nathan was eager to go wherever it was they were going and decided to get her attention the only way he knew how.

Jason laughed at Nathan's antics. "I think somebody's ready to go."

Kimberly smiled down at her son. "All right, Bubby we'll go now. I think everyone's here that's going to be before we leave."

The group made their way outside and Trini left a note on the door for the guests that still hadn't arrived yet. She simply let them know where they were headed and what time they expected to be back. She told them to make themselves at home in the mean time. She joined the rest of her friends at the end of the driveway.

"Where to?" asked Kimberly. She knew that only Jason and Trini were familiar with the neighborhood.

Jason cleared his throat. "We go left."

"Why left?" asked Trini, clearly puzzled by her husband's answer.

"Well, every time I've been outside working I've listened to the kids talking about Halloween. They say the best candy is down the street to our left."

"You're trusting a bunch of little kids on where to get the best candy?" asked Haley, an amused smile playing on her face.

"It's a serious subject matter," answered Jason seriously as he crossed his arms. A slimmer arm slipped through his own.

"Jason, they're only joking with you dear."

Jason leaned over and kissed his cheerleader on the cheek. "I know that." He smiled at Trini, ignoring Conner, who was rolling his eyes. Jason knew he'd get the boy back later.

The group set off down the street. Jason and Trini led the group, while Kimberly and Haley trailed behind them, ending with Kira and Conner together. Kira grumbled at her bad luck of being stuck next to Conner, but she knew the sidewalk wasn't big enough to walk three abreast. She half expected Conner to make some sort of stupid joke about Trini and Jason, but he never spoke up. She found this action strange and very un-Conner like. "How's life treating you, Conner?" she asked.

Conner turned to look at Kira. He was surprised at her question. "It's fine," he replied.

"Heard your team won their latest game."

"Yeah. It was tough, but we pulled through." Conner didn't know what to make of Kira. She was… strange. At least, he thought she was. She was being really nice and he wasn't used to that. Jason interrupted anymore thoughts.

"Here's the first house," he called as he pointed to a white house lit by orange lights around the front windows.

"Should we all go up to the porch, or should just Kimberly go?" asked Haley.

"Jason should go with Kimberly. After all, he's the one who wants the candy," commented Trini.

The others all nodded, and it was finally decided that Jason and Kimberly would make the short trek to the front porch. Kimberly could just make out the outline of an elderly woman handing out candy to the little ones who came her way. Haley, Trini, Kira, and Conner waited at the end of the driveway while the other two made their way to the front door. On their way, three kids pushed past them, eager to head to the next house. They looked to be about kindergarten or first graders. One was a princess, one was a pirate, and the other was Scooby Doo. Unintentionally, the group listened in.

"Come on Jeremy!" the princess shouted. "We need to get to Mrs. Merkel's! She's got big Kit-Kat bars this year!"

The pirate turned to answer her. "Mrs. Merkel wouldn't run out of candy. She's got lots!"

"What about last year?" asked Scooby Doo.

"She was all sick last year, 'member?" replied the princess. The reply was lost on the wind as the children moved out of earshot.

Jason and Kimberly made their way to the front door. An elderly woman sat in a folding chair, a bright orange bowl full of candy bars on her lap. She had dressed as a simple witch. A black pointed hat adorned her head and she wore a black dress with flats. She'd used makeup to create a wart on her face. She cackled as Jason and Kimberly approached. "Aww look at the sweet little one! He's adorable!" she crowed.

Kimberly smiled. "Thank you."

"I can see where he gets his good looks from," she said, looking toward Jason.

It took a second before Kimberly understood. "Oh no, he's not the father. He's a friend of mine. His father passed away." She felt strange telling some elderly woman this, but she would rather do that then let her think she had an affair with Jason and Nathan was the resulting product.

This caught the woman off-guard. "Well, ah, he's adorable, regardless." She placed a Hershey bar in the pumpkin basket Jason held. "Happy Halloween to you all!"

Kimberly turned to speak with Jason as soon as she was certain the woman could no longer hear the two talk. "Jason, why would she think you were the father? Don't you know your neighbors?"

"Trini and I don't see our neighbors often. That was Mrs. Harold. She tends to forget many faces. It doesn't help that I was dressed in costume."

The duo rejoined their group, who were all watching the different costumes pass them by. "Wow…makes me wish I'd dressed up," commented Kira. "Even the adults dressed up. I feel out of place." She said this as a giant Frankenstein walked past her, a little ninja attached to his hand.

"_I_ dressed up," smirked Conner.

Kira rolled her eyes. "Conner you came from soccer practice looking like that."

"That is beside the point," he remarked.

"Come on you two," called Trini, who was thirty feet in front of the two young adults. While they'd been bickering, the group had continued down the street.

Kira began to power walk, her eyes focused on moving ahead, and not Conner, who was behind her. It wasn't more than a few steps, however, before she saw Conner's stride matching her own. She ignored him.

When they caught up with the group, Trini and Kimberly went to the porch of the next house. Each time they returned with more candy. Every time a new house came into view, someone else went with Kimberly and Nathan to the door.

By this time, Nathan had grown used to moving from areas of light to darkness and back again. He wasn't used to all the costumes. Strange things were all around him. Some of them put stuff in the container, but he didn't know what it was. The one he knew was called "Uncle Jason" kept eating anything in the basket. Trini kept scolding him.

"Jason, that's enough candy! We have food back at the house for the party!"

Jason was in mid-bite of his candy bar. He bit the piece off and swallowed before saying anything. "But it's my candy."

"Jason, that was a childish statement and you know it."

Jason put the rest of the candy bar into his mouth. "Fine I'll save the rest."

The rest of the trick-or-treating went smoothly. Jason was caught sneaking candy by everyone but Trini. Kimberly smacked his hand away more than once. "That may not be Nathan's candy, but you know you'll be dead if Trini catches you eating more of it," she warned. Jason didn't answer and Kimberly continued. "If you eat it all now, there'll be none for you to have later."

Jason sulked off and looped an arm around Trini's waist. He bent over, and kissed her cheek. Kimberly found the scene endearing. Those two were something else. "So in love, aren't they?" observed Haley as she fell into step with Kimberly.

Kimberly nodded. "As loving as a married couple can get." A pang of jealously crept into her heart, but she smothered it.

Haley glanced behind her. "And those two back there might eventually be one, if they can ever get beyond their differences."

Kimberly turned her head slightly to see Conner and Kira walking side by side, but not talking. They weren't even looking at each other. "They're fools," she murmured. Haley didn't hear her.

Jason turned toward the rest of the group. "The last house is up ahead," he called back. "Trini's going to go ahead to our house. She says there's a few new vehicles in front that she's certain aren't trick or treaters."

"Okay!" was the response he received back.

Jason drifted back toward the others as Trini walked ahead. He took the other side of Kimberly and looked down at Nathan. "He looks tired, Kim. Maybe you should put him to bed when we get back."

Nathan was tired. His eyelids were drooping and a big baby yawn escaped his mouth. Kimberly smiled at him. "He has had a big day today. His first Halloween was a success."

"I'd say," replied Jason.

"Thank you, Jason. It was because of you that his first was as good as it was. He won't remember it, but he'll have the pictures and the letter I'm going to write to him to look at in later years."

"It wasn't a problem," said Jason. His voice took on a serious tone. "It was more than that husband of yours would have given him."

Kimberly winced at the anger she could hear. "Let's not speak of Andrew. He's in the past and I don't want thoughts of him to ruin tonight."

"I'm sorry, Kim. You know how angry he makes me."

Kimberly shifted Nathan in her arms and put a hand on Jason's arm. "I know, but you're a great friend Jason. You and Trini helped me out when I had nothing else."

Jason waved his hand. "It was what we wanted to do." He noticed that they were getting strange looks for talking in hushed tones. He also noticed Kira giving Conner a death glare. "Hey Kira. Why don't you go with Kimberly and Nathan to this last house? The rest of us will go back to mine."

Kira nodded. "All right," she agreed. It was better than dealing with Conner. Jason handed her the orange pumpkin bucket and Kira noticed it was still only half-full, as it had been most of the night.

The group split up and Kira joined Kimberly. "Have you been working on your music much?" she asked the younger girl.

"A little," sighed Kira. "There's just never enough time anymore it seems."

"Inspiration will come when you least expect it," advised Kimberly. She groaned. "That sounded really terrible, didn't it? I sound like some adult preaching to a kid!"

Kira laughed at Kimberly's outburst. "It's okay. I know what you meant. Do you have any idea about this last house?" she asked.

"Nothing. Jason didn't say a thing. Probably just like all the others."

"Looks like whoever lives there just moved in," noted Kira as she saw the sold sign still on the front lawn.

The two thought nothing of it as they walked the small length of the sidewalk to the front porch. A jack-o-lantern sat in a rocking chair, a white kitten curled up beside it. Kira reached out and rang the doorbell. The two waited.

It was only a few seconds before they heard footsteps and the turning of the door knob. Kimberly looked into the face of the person who answered, and about dropped Nathan when she recognized it. She regained her compose. "Trick or treat?" she asked lamely, as Kira held up the orange pumpkin.

"K-Kimberly? Is that really you?" asked the figure, almost dropping the candy dish they held.

**Okay this ending was unexpected and just an idea I got... After all I wondered myself why Jason would have only Kira and Kimberly go to the last house... so this is what I came up with. Yeah it's an old friend, but who exactly? There's a hint in the chapter that will give you the answer. Have fun guessing, but there's no prizes... wait there is. Get it right and I'll give you a one page preview of the next chapter. Psav, I need to talk to you about your prize. I don't think I can do an icon, but I will do something else for you. I have an idea in mind, but I need to chat with ya first. Anyway.**

**Guess the character and receive a one page preview of the next chapter. Oh and, leave some love :) I need this week to end well.  
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	16. An ExRanger Halloween Pt 3

**Well here it is. I worked as hard as I could to get it up quickly. Congratulations to the quiz winners- Ronemmy4ever, dthstlkr69, psav2005, and davidkenneth. The answer was Katherine. Two of these winners got the clue right- dthstlkr69 & davidkenneth. The clue was the white kitten. It linked back to when Kat was a white cat named PC. Anyway, here's the conclusion to the Halloween chapters. As of now, Unlucky Clover is on hiatus until further notice. I'm going back to working on Windmill for awhile. Enjoy and review!**

**Edit 11/8/06: Thanks to psav2005 for catching my mistake on Tommy's quote. I hadn't forgotten about her being Turbo, but I did forget about her being at the party at that point…. It's fixed though **

**Chapter 16 An Ex-Ranger Halloween Pt 3**

"I can't believe it," murmured Kimberly.

The Australian smiled back at her. "It's not a dream, Kim. I'm really here."

"Katherine… it's been… I don't know how long…" Kimberly couldn't form full sentences.

Kira just looked on at the scene. She didn't know the person before her…then it hit her…she'd seen that woman before. She'd been much younger then, but they were still the same person. She'd been in Tommy's archives…but just when…. "You were the one Kimberly gave her power coin to!" gasped Kira.

Katherine suddenly turned on Kira. "How did you know?" she asked, not too politely.

Kimberly could tell things were going to get ugly unless someone interfered. "Kat, this is one of Tommy's Rangers," she interrupted.

"Tommy's….Rangers?" Katherine was confused.

"It's a long story Kat, but Tommy's led a team of Dino Rangers within the past year. This is Kira, his yellow Ranger."

Katherine's confused melted away. "Oh I see…" She held out a hand. "It's nice to meet you, Kira. Sorry about my anger… I'm not used to others knowing my past."

Kira shook her hand. "That's all right. I know how you feel."

"Kat, does Jason know you moved in?" asked Kimberly. She had a strange feeling about all of this.

"Yes, I just met him yesterday. I had no idea he and Trini lived in this neighborhood. He's invited me to the party they're throwing tonight."

"I'm gonna get Jason…" Kimberly muttered to herself.

Katherine noticed the baby in Kimberly's arms. "Your son?" she asked.

"Yes. This is Nathan. It was Jason's idea to take him trick-or-treating before the party."

"Is your husband around?" asked Katherine. "He must be a lucky fellow." Kimberly lowered her head and immediately Katherine sensed that she'd said something wrong. "Kim?"

"My husband's dead, Kat… and it's better off that he is…" Kimberly said this barely above a whisper and Katherine knew she'd have to talk to Kimberly later on. Maybe not tonight, but later on.

Kira noticed the tenseness in the air. "Are you ready to go to the party?"

Katherine smiled. "Of course. Just let me lock up and put Curio inside."

"Curio?" asked Kira.

Katherine walked to the rocking chair and picked up the sleeping kitten, while blowing out the candle inside the jack-o-lantern. "This is Curio." The kitten blinked sleepily at her. "I found him two months ago. No one claimed him, so I gave him a home." She gave the kitten a kiss on the head before placing him inside and locking the door.

The trio headed down the street to the Scotts' residence. Kimberly walked inside and head toward the living room, where she heard voices. There she found not only Jason, Trini, Conner, and Haley, but Tommy and another new person as well.

"Trent!" called Kira happily.

"Hi Kira," he greeted, rising to give her a hug, which Kira returned.

"Jason, why didn't you tell me Katherine moved in down the street?" asked Kimberly.

Jason smiled. "I wanted to keep it a surprise. I didn't tell her anything either."

Kimberly playfully smacked his arm. "Thanks." Kimberly was glad to have another friend nearby to talk with. She had Trini, but it was always nice to have another friend. She only hoped that neither of the two had changed much.

Kimberly made her way to the couch and to where Nathan's diaper bag had been moved. She took a seat and searched his bag, but couldn't find what she was looking for. She frowned; she knew she'd put them in his bag. Trini walked into the living room and noticed Kimberly's frustration. "I'm sorry Kim. I put Nathan's bottles in the refrigerator. I didn't want them going bad."

"Thanks Trini," smiled Kimberly. She made her way to the refrigerator and grabbed a bottle, warming it in the microwave. She then returned to the couch, dodging Nathan's attempts to grab at his bottle. She hated giving the bottle to him; he was getting too old for it. She already weaned him off of it for meals, but was having more trouble weaning him off his evening bottle. Nathan babbled, trying to grab at his bottle. Kimberly sat him on her lap and placed a bib around his costume. Finally, she laid Nathan on his back on the floor in front of her and handed him his bottle, making sure he had it in his mouth before letting go. She sat back, and felt someone sit beside her.

"Hey, Kimberly," came the soft, masculine voice. Kimberly knew that voice anywhere

"Hi, Tommy," she replied. "How are you?" She glanced sideways at him.

Tommy sighed. "I've been better. This party is a welcome break."

Kimberly placed an arm on his shoulder and squeezed. "Hang in there."

"Thanks, Kim…I…" He was interrupted as Trini walked into the living room to make an announcement.

"Who wants snack foods? Grab a plate and settle down."

Everyone rose and headed toward the buffet table. Kimberly turned back to Tommy. "What were you saying?" she asked.

Tommy shook his head. "It's nothing."

Soon everyone had a plate of food and was settled down on chairs and on the floor. Nathan had finished his bottle and was playing with some of his toys while the adults chatted. Kimberly had changed him out of his costume and into a one piece pair of footy pajamas.

Jason placed an arm around Trini's shoulders. "We've got quite a few generations of Rangers here." He nodded toward Haley. "And others who are mentors." Trini stifled a laugh. "Ignoring my wife, we've all fought for our lives and beat the odds."

Kimberly chortled. "Jason, I agree with your wife."

Kira drew her knees up to her chest as she munched on a Jell-O jiggler. "Were your enemies back then as bad as ours?"

Tommy looked to her. "All the villains are pretty much the same, though Mesagog was smarter than Rita and Zedd."

"Sometimes Divatox was better than those two," added Katherine.

"Her sacrifice idea was a bit silly though," answered Kimberly.

"Some of my father's ideas weren't too bad," spoke Trent.

"Yeah, because they almost got us killed," Said Conner as he tossed a chip at Trent.

"It wasn't his fault," protested Kira.

Conner laughed. "We know."

Kira flushed. She knew he was kidding. Of course he had been kidding. She still felt protective of Trent though. Kimberly patted her knee. She seemed to sense Kira's embarrassment.

"You know," commented Jason, "all this food reminds me of that time we fought Pudgy Pig."

"Ew, please let's not go there," protested Kimberly.

"Pudgy Pig?" asked Conner, raising an eyebrow.

"Long story short, he was this pig monster who enjoyed eating everything in sight," explained Jason.

Kimberly shook her head as Jason explained, as though trying to clear away the memories of that day. She couldn't stand something as gross as Pudgy Pig. "No more of that, Jason."

"Then you add a story, Kim," he smiled.

Kimberly shuddered as she spoke. "The Bloom of Doom… I hated how it turned me against everyone, including my best friend." She smiled up at Trini. The loss of control I had over myself was bad, but not as bad as the day I was captured by Divatox as a sacrifice."

"When did this occur?" asked Trent.

None of Tommy's Dino Thunder Rangers noticed the far-off look in Tommy's eyes, but it was there, tinged with a hint of sadness. "That was the time we received Turbo powers," replied Tommy. "Katherine and I were the only Rangers here who were Turbo Rangers, but Jason and Kimberly were captured by the latest villainess, Divatox. Divatox needed two pure beings to sacrifice to her love, Maligore, who lived in a volcano on the island of Muiranthias. She didn't succeed, but I know Jason and Kimberly won't forget that day."

Trini noticed the somewhat somber mood that had overtaken the room. She decided to add a bit of humor into the mood. "Weren't some of Rita's monsters quite lame?" she asked. All of the former Rangers considered this.

"Pudgy Pig," called Jason.

"Guitardo," added Kimberly.

"Gork," said Tommy.

"Scorpina. She wasn't a monster, but still. She was lame," commented Trini.

"What about Zedd and Rita being married? I wasn't there when it happened, but really, that's just about the creepiest thing ever," spoke up Katherine.

"How about you new Rangers chime in here? You guys look like a bunch of lost kids," laughed Tommy.

"Don't pick on your protégés," warned Haley. "They _do_ know where you live."

"I…I know that!" spat Tommy, having lost his train of thought.

Conner thought about his past experiences as a Ranger. "I don't think Mesogog came up with as dumb of names as Rita."

Trent disagreed with Conner. "I don't know. Some of dad's monsters were pretty lame."

"Like Tutenhawken," added Kira.

Conner scowled. He hated when Trent was around. Kira always agreed with him. It drove him crazy, but he wasn't going to tell her that. "Okay then... remember…hmm…" his mind went blank.

"Hey remember that crazy show we watched? That one with the Rangers who were just like us?" asked Kira.

"Oh yeah. That weird slot machine monster was the villain… I still find it creepy."

"As creepy as some of my drawings?" asked Trent.

"No!" Conner retorted. In truth, some of Trent's drawings were a bit creepy. He was getting better at drawing villains, some of which had been featured in a few comic books Conner had glanced at. He had recognized them from the drawings Trent had passed around at the Cyber Café.

A loud babbling was heard in the room and all the ex-Rangers looked to Nathan who was crawling around on the floor. He was babbling and laughing and pulled himself closer to the coach where Tommy and Kimberly were sitting. He gripped onto the hem of Kimberly's skirt and pulled, but found that it moved with him. He moved over a few inches, and gripped at Tommy's khakis. Nathan pulled, and found that the pants didn't move like the skirt had. Hand over hand, he pulled himself up until he was standing in front of Tommy, hands resting on Tommy's knee. Tommy looked down into the smiling infant's face. "Hey there, sport," he said.

"Bah!" cooed Nathan.

"Aww he's talking to you, Tommy," whispered Kimberly.

"Bah! Bah dah!"

"Isn't he precious?" asked Haley.

"He's adorable," chimed in Katherine.

"Bahdahdah!"

"You have to admit he's really interested in Tommy," added Jason.

"Ma-mama-mamama-ma," continued Nathan on in a string of monosyllables.

"What are you trying to say, Nathan?" asked Tommy. "Are you trying to say you want your mama?"

"Maybe he thinks you're the mama?" suggested Conner.

"That's crazy, Conner," answered Trent.

"Da-da!" Nathan shouted happily, clapping his hands. As soon as he did so, he fell onto his butt. Kimberly picked him up and sat him on her lap. There was a strange silence that settled over the room. Only Nathan didn't notice it. Kimberly was a fire-engine red. Nathan babbled on.

**I hope you all enjoyed. I cannot take credit for the ending entirely. I wrote it, but it was really boredgirl84's idea. At first I had no idea how to include it, but I finally decided to add it in. I don't know the next time this will be updated, but I hope you will all read the next bits of Windmill into the Fall. I know half of you are already avid readers of it :P Please review!**


	17. Reflections of Nathan's Birth

**Well I'm sorry that this chapter has taken so long to get up. With school back in session, it's hard to find time to write. Well, that's only part of it. For the longest time I've not had the will to write. Don't get me wrong. I had plenty of ideas for this fic, but I just didn't feel like writing it. I've rp'd for awhile and that's gotten my spark back. Anyway, for those of you on my mailing list, I sent the cover art for this story I had commissioned by Avril (Isis from Rangerboard). It's awesome. If anyone else would like to view it, please email me. My email is in my profile. Also, I mentioned being nominated for the What a Character Awards. Voting is now in progress and again, those on the mailing list got word of it. For the rest of you, please visit angellwings' profile. She has the link there. I would appreciate the votes. Unlucky Clover was nominated for Best Unfinished Story and Best MMPR. Anyway, please read and enjoy. **

**Chapter 17 Reflections of Nathan's Birth**

Kimberly laid Nathan down in his crib for the night. He'd had a very long and interesting day. He balled his hands into fists and yawned wide. Kimberly smiled softly. "You've caused quite a stir tonight, Bubby. You sure can make a room go silent." He looked up at her with those big eyes of his curiously. Kimberly thought back to earlier, a blush still creeping across her face. "I wonder what you're thinking in there. Do you even know what you called Tommy tonight?" Nathan looked up at her and cooed his answer. "If I understood baby language I'd answer you back. Goodnight, little one." She leaned over and kissed his forehead before drawing the blanket up to his chest. Then she reached up and wound up the light up mobile over his head. Soft music began to fill the room and Kimberly tiptoed across the floor and out of the room. She made sure the baby monitor on Nathan's dresser was on before closing the door halfway.

A sigh escaped her lips as she crossed the threshold to her bedroom. Nathan really had caused a stir at the party, whether he knew it or not. At first she wanted to think she was hearing things, but the looks on the others' faces confirmed what she feared—Nathan really had said "dada" to Tommy. _Of course he didn't know what he was saying. It was a simple bit of baby babble, nothing more_ Kimberly tried to reason with herself. It was the most logical answer. All Nathan had ever had was Andrew, which was a rare occurrence in itself. Andrew hadn't exactly been very vocal with the "dada" sounds. She knew that she hadn't been either. Then it hit her: Nathan spent a good deal of time with Jason and Trini… either one of them could have taught him to say it….Kimberly shook her head. This was silly. She was getting worked up over baby talk. She chided herself for being on the pathetic side before getting ready for bed.

As the next few days passed, Kimberly tried to forget the entire Halloween incident. She wanted to push it far from her mind. November had dawned in California and that meant Nathan's first birthday was drawing closer as well. Every time Kimberly looked at her son, she recalled the moments leading up to his birth. She had been anxious when he became overdue, but the doctors had reassured her everything would be fine and had scheduled an appointment for the twelfth, but only if her baby hadn't been born by then. Kimberly had nervously counted the days and kept herself occupied by writing letters to her unborn child.

A smile absently crossed Kimberly's lips when she remembered the contractions hitting her in the car. She was glad that Andrew had taken the day off to be with her and was driving. She knew it wasn't safe for her to be driving until after the pregnancy was over. Andrew had offered her his hand to squeeze to help with the pain. Once they arrived to the hospital and spoke with the doctor, he immediately set Kimberly up in a room and told her it was very possible she was going into labor. Kimberly had told him there was no possible to it—she was in labor and he'd better deliver the baby or else.

After that, the pain had blocked out much of what led up to Nathan's birth. However, Kimberly remembered holding her baby in her arms for the very first time. He was so small and tiny. She only held him for a few minutes, but to her it felt like an eternity. She couldn't help staring down into those big eyes of his and smiling. Her baby was born, finally here. She and Andrew and brought a new life into the world, their very own to raise and guide. All too soon the nurses had taken her baby from her to clean him up and run the required tests on her newborn.

"Nathan… Nathan Andrew…" Kimberly whispered to herself. He bore the name of his father at Andrew's insistence. Kimberly had agreed and it had flowed together beautifully. Andrew had refused to name his son Andrew, claiming that there would be two Andrews in the house and they'd end up calling the baby by his middle name anyway. Kimberly wasn't even sure how he'd known they were having a boy. He was very insistent upon getting his way for the boy's name, but the girl he could have cared less about. It wasn't something that had angered her then, even with all of the mood swings she'd had at that time. Now it was a different story.

"I should have done more, should have expressed my own feelings," she scolded herself. When she looked back, she hated not having tried to make Andrew understand what she wanted and where she was coming from. He'd domineered over the arguments; Kimberly had been the one to go quiet and give in, anything to stop the fighting. It upset her and it upset the baby too. Fights played over and over again into her mind, until they melded into one continuous loop of gestures, yelling, and shouting. Back and forth, back and forth. Kimberly felt her figure growing smaller as Andrew's grew bigger. She cried out in anguish to make the images disappear.

She quickly clamped a hand over her mouth. Nathan had been napping unless her cry had just woken him up. She listened intently for any sound of signs from the baby monitor, which sat on the table across from her. Nothing was heard and Kimberly breathed a sigh of relief. Perhaps he'd just continue sleeping, and Kimberly could continue scolding herself for calling out so loudly. Perhaps she…

_Waa! Waa! _Came the crackled call from the monitor. Kimberly groaned. She should have known she wasn't going to get that lucky. She rose from the table, knowing that there was a chance she could console her crying son enough so that he'd go back to sleep. She tiptoed down the small hallway to his room; the door had been left halfway open so that she could hear his cries if she didn't have the monitor nearby. Pushing it open slowly, she made her way across the room and glanced down into Nathan's crib. He'd kicked off his blanket and his face was red and smudged from his tears. He'd lost his pacifier, which was his comfort while he slept. He never got it any other time. She found it lying next to his head and picked it up, along with Nathan.

"Shh…shh…Mommy's here now, Bubby. It's okay, no need to cry." She rocked him back and forth in her arms, hoping to hush his cries. It wasn't something she normally did because she didn't believe in spoiling him into expecting to always be rocked to sleep, but she also knew she'd been the reason he'd waken from his slumber and so he deserved to be put back to sleep so he could finish out his nap. She placed the pacifier into his mouth, smiling softly when he began to suckle it.

Kimberly made her way toward the rocking chair, sitting gently and cradling her boy in her arms. She hummed a wordless tune to him and his eyes watched her, looked into her own. _How big you've gotten since you were born…you're much bigger than you really should be._ Nathan was big for his age; Kimberly had noticed his height was similar to that of a one and a half to two year old's. He had a medium build, neither skinny nor chubby. He'd be walking soon…Kimberly knew that his pulling himself up was just one of the few steps left before he took his first hesitant steps on his feet.

Could it really be a year almost? It didn't seem like such. Then again, with everything that had happened, it seemed like years had passed. The year began pleasantly enough with his birth, but so many terrible things had happened along the way. She never would have thought that she'd be back in California, without husband or her original home. Back then she was concerned about her infant son and raising her family. She and Andrew had truly become a family and Kimberly had looked forward to her life as a mother, and Andrew being a father. Too bad things never worked out as they were planned.

A small snort from Nathan brought Kimberly's attention back to the real world and to her sleeping baby. He was such a peaceful sight when he slept; she slipped the pacifier into his mouth and rose to place him back into his crib. She laid him down, freezing when he suddenly began to stir. She prayed that he was only moving, not waking. She released a sigh when he stopped just as suddenly. The doorbell rang, and she tiptoed silently out of Nathan's room, shutting the door halfway again.

Kimberly smiled when she pulled open the door. There stood Katherine, smiling back at her. "Come in," welcomed Kimberly.

"I'm sorry to come over unannounced like this, but I thought you'd be home."

"Yes, but only for another two hours. Then Nathan goes off to the Scotts' and I go to work." Kimberly smiled. "What's on your mind?" She made her way to the kitchen, gesturing for Katherine to take a seat at the kitchen table while she got drinks.

Katherine pulled out a chair and took a seat. "Well, I was trying to figure out what I wanted to get Nathan for his birthday and I've something in mind, but I'd like to okay it with you first."

Kimberly reached for the glasses in the cupboard and began to pour some iced tea into them. She set the drinks on the table and took a seat across from Katherine. "What did you have in mind?"

"Well…I was thinking of getting him a pet."

"What kind of pet?" asked Kimberly.

"A dog…someone he could cuddle with and play with. When he got older, he could help take care of the dog, learn about responsibility."

"Right now I'm sure he'd be more playful than anything with it," chuckled Kimberly. "What kind of dog did you have in mind?"

"I've been talking to one of the neighbors a few blocks over. They're selling beagle puppies for around sixty dollars. I've talked to some neighbors who've known this couple, and everything checks out all right." Katherine sipped from her glass before setting it gently back on the table.

"I don't know Katherine…there are a lot of bills to pay with a puppy and he'd need to go to the vet as well. I don't want you to have to spend that much on Nathan. You'll spoil him. I don't know if I could afford to care for a puppy."

Katherine looked at her friend thoughtfully. "I know what you mean. Taking care of Curio is a lot of work. I should have considered your finances before anything."

Kimberly smiled. "That's all right. He can still have a pet…just nothing that involves a lot of vet visits. I couldn't afford it right now, nor am I home enough during the day to give a puppy the attention it needs."

Katherine decided to change the topic. "So have you started any plans for his birthday yet?"

"I have, but it's just going to be something small. I figured that you, Jason, Trini, and Tommy would make for a nice party. Throw in some decorations, two cakes, and some presents. I will have to warn Jason not to go overboard; he already spoils Nathan enough."

"Why two cakes?" asked Katherine, confused. "There's not many of us."

"Oh it's a tradition with some families. The baby gets his own cake, a smaller cake that he can tear into and make a big mess out of. It's cute to watch. After he's had his bit of fun, he's usually whisked away to be cleaned up while everyone else eats the untouched cake, then there's presents afterwards."

Katherine nodded. "Sounds like fun and hell combined," she answered with a smile.

Kimberly laughed. "It can be, depending on how much of a mess the baby makes of the cake. Some need completely showered and cleaned up, others just need a change of clothes. I've a feeling Nathan will be the former."

"I'll help you set up for the party, if you let me know when you need me," offered Katherine. "I can take Nathan off your hands at least."

"That'd be perfect. He likes to get into everything otherwise." Kimberly was thankful for Katherine's offer to help. She felt embarrassed asking the others to help and then have them to the party as well. _If Andrew were still alive, he'd be the one to help me and I wouldn't have to depend on my friends so much. _She sighed. _Then again, who's to say we wouldn't have been discussing divorce? Who am I to be the judge of what would have happened._

"Kimberly? Is something wrong?" asked Katherine, concerned. She'd caught sight of the shift in Kimberly's mood. It was as though a cloud covered her face, and her eyes were no longer looking at Katherine, but something off in the distance.

Shaking her head, Kimberly sighed again. She drank some tea before giving her answer. She rested one hand under her chin, the other on the table. "It's nothing really. I was just thinking of Andrew and how if he were still alive that he'd be helping me with this. Then I realized that we might not even be together. It's not good to for me, I know, but there are times I can't help it. Sometimes the life of a single mom sucks, plain and simple."

Katherine reached across the table and patted Kimberly's hand. "That's why your friends are here. You aren't alone and I know Nathan appreciates everything you do for him."

"Yes. He shows his affection for me every time I have to change his diapers. I do love his presents," Kimberly answered, rolling her eyes.

A laugh escaped Katherine's lips and she raised her hand to suppress her laughter. "Well, that's one way of putting it."

Kimberly smiled. "Sarcasm sometimes gets the better—" Crying interrupted her sentence. "Sorry, but I have to go get him. Come with me and we'll continue talking. It's about time for him to get up."

The two women rose from the table and made their way to Nathan's bedroom. Kimberly pushed the half open door all the way open and began talking to Nathan. "How's my Bubby?" she cooed. She released the lever holding the crib railing up, picking Nathan up. She held him against her, bouncing him lightly before taking him over to the changing table to check his diaper. As she laid him down, she frowned. "Katherine, is it just me or does he look really red in the face?" Kimberly asked, suddenly concerned.

Katherine moved beside Kimberly, looking down at Nathan. She reached out and felt his forehead and cheeks. "He does feel warm Kimberly. You might want to take his temperature and see if he has a fever."

Nathan looked up at the two beings standing over him. He knew his mother didn't look right. His tummy hurt. He cried out as pain quickly shot through and then dispersed.

"Watch him, Katherine and I'll get the thermometer from the bathroom," Kimberly replied, hurrying off. She returned in a few minutes, thermometer in hand. "We'll slip it under his arm. Just slip his right arm out of the sleeve," she instructed.

Katherine sat Nathan up on the changing table and pulled his arm gently from his shirt sleeve. She held Nathan in place while Kimberly slipped the thermometer under his arm, holding it there. A few minutes later it began to beep, and Kimberly removed it, looking at the digital display. She mentally adjusted the temperature in her head and looked at Katherine concerned. "It's 102 degrees… I'm going to go call his doctor and see what she recommends."

"I'll keep an eye on him while you're gone," promised Katherine. After Kimberly left the room, she lay Nathan back down on the table and changed his diaper. She watched his behavior, which didn't appear to be any different on the outside. She made faces at him, sticking out her tongue, which he great enjoyed and babbled back at her. She put his pants back on, standing him up on the changing table. "Why are you scaring your mommy like that, eh?" she asked him. He just looked back at her, not answering.

Kimberly returned within minutes. "Dr. Ramirez says to simply keep an eye on him for now. She says the fever may be there to combat a virus within his body. I shouldn't give him any medicine for now, but to cool him off by taking off his clothing, as well as keep him hydrated. If he's worse tomorrow, I'm to call her again."

Sitting Nathan down again, Katherine began taking off his shirt, pants, and socks. Nathan appeared to enjoy the lack of clothing, and kicked his feet out in appreciation. Kimberly folded his clothing, setting it aside for later. She was nervous, as Nathan had never really been sick before; at least, he'd never had a fever. _It's not serious. His body is just fighting a virus. That's all. Nothing to get worked up over._ Looking back a few months later, she'd realize how wrong she truly was.

**Uh oh... Is it really nothing or is something truly wrong with Nathan?**


	18. Signs

**Yay another chapter from me. These are coming along slowly, partly because of school and partly because I'm writing these slowly. There was originally to be more to this chapter, but I decided to add a few things to chapter 18 and push those other bits back to chapter 19. I do so love to keep you in suspense (And yes I know what goes around comes around :P) I hope you enjoy this chapter. Enjoy!  
**

**Chapter 18  
**

Nathan's fever had not gone away. His fever had first appeared on November fourth, but had disappeared on and off again. The doctor only warned her to keep a constant eye on him and that if it went any higher, to let her know. There was nothing she could do at the moment. The doctor constantly warned Kimberly not to give Nathan fever medication. The body was fighting a virus and was doing fine on its own. It was now November ninth, five days after the first fever incident. Kimberly was constantly worried and calling the doctor. They finally agreed that if Nathan was not better by the ninth, to take him to her office that afternoon. An appointment had been set for two in the afternoon. Dr. Ramirez would run a diagnosis on Nathan, and perhaps see if it was anything more than just a fever.

Kimberly sat wearily at the kitchen table, dressed in grey sweats and a baggy dark blue t-shirt. She had been up most of the night in Nathan's room. His fever stayed the same, but in addition to the fever he was constantly throwing up and had diarrhea. Kimberly had a gut feeling that not everything was well. Nathan was now getting worse and definitely needed to see the doctor. Kimberly had bought Pedialyte to combat the dehydration that was bound to result, but she felt like she was going in circles. Every time it stayed down for an hour, it always came right back up. Nathan was starting to look sickly and he was hard to comfort. Kimberly had already called in sick to the youth complex; there was no way possible she could work. The stress of her sick child had caused her to lose sleep. She was functioning on sheer willpower. The doorbell rang and Kimberly glanced up at the clock. It was barely 7:30, yet someone was already at her door. "It's open," she called wearily.

The door opened and shut, and Kimberly listened to the footsteps, hoping to decipher the person who'd come over at such an early hour in the morning. They were light. Kimberly looked up when she felt someone watching her. She gave the visitor a tired smile. "Hey, Katherine," she called. She noticed Katherine had a white paper bag in one hand and two tall Styrofoam cups in a brown cardboard holder. "What's that?"

"I figured you'd need something to get your strength up. So I stopped by the bakery and picked up some fresh glazed doughnuts and coffee. I know you've not had much sleep these past few days." She set the bag and coffee on the table before taking a seat.

"Oh you're a lifesaver! I need some caffeine to jolt my system. I haven't had much sleep."

"The bags under your eyes are a dead giveaway. Why don't you let me watch Nathan and you go rest up for a bit? You're going to need your strength."

Kimberly nodded tiredly. She didn't feel like arguing at the moment and she could use the rest. Kimberly reached for the bag. "Just one doughnut first… then I'll sleep." She pulled one of the sticky treats from the bag, biting gently into it. She reached for one of the coffee cups, but Katherine pulled the container back.

"You don't need coffee if you're going to sleep right after you finish that. Caffeine in your system will do no good."

Kimberly complied silently, eating the rest of the doughnut before licking the glaze off her fingers. She rose from her chair and walked to the sink, washing her hands in the warm water from the spigot. She turned back toward Katherine. "Are you sure you'll be okay with him?"

"I'll be fine with him. You'll be in your room if I need anything. Go sleep," instructed Katherine, making a shooing motion with her hands. She watched Kimberly walk down the hallway and pick something up off the hall table before heading into her room. "And put that baby monitor back," Katherine called after her. Katherine saw the monitor replaced back on the table by a somewhat reluctant hand.

The door then closed and Katherine made her way to Nathan's bedroom to check on him. She tiptoed inside, looking over his crib. Kimberly had kept Nathan in only a diaper. His crib had been stripped of everything but the basic mattress. Kimberly had covered the mattress with a plastic mattress cover to make cleanup easier. Katherine smiled sadly down at the little boy. She ran her fingers gently across his cheek; his skin felt warm to the touch. She looked around Nathan's room, finding a rocker in the corner of the room. She didn't know what else she could do while he was still sleeping. She rocked back and forth for a few minutes before noticing Nathan's bookshelf. There was one book in particular that caught her eye. _My Baby Book_ was written down the spine in baby building blocks. Katherine stood and picked the book up off the shelf, returning to the rocking chair.

She opened the book, glancing through it. She noticed how bare some of the pages were, especially the ones that were labeled for the birth. Nathan had no official hospital picture, nor did he have his footprints in the book. The guest list from the baby shower was missing as well. As Katherine flipped even further through the book, she noticed that the pages saved for doctor's visits only had recent ones written down. The page titled "Baby's Firsts" had barely been touched. Everything that had been written in the book appeared to have been put there after Kimberly moved back to California. _This is very strange…_thought. _I know Kimberly's not a bad mother and she wouldn't forget to fill out something as special as this baby book._ Katherine began flipping back through the pages. That was when she found it: a folded up letter in the very front of the book. It was addressed to Nathan Andrew in a beautiful calligraphy script. Katherine didn't want to invade Kimberly's privacy, but she had a feeling that the letter contained the answers she sought. She unfolded the piece of paper, noting the note was written cursively in pen instead of in calligraphy. The letter had been dated October eighth.

_To my son, Nathan Andrew,_

_You've probably found this note many years after I've written it. A baby book is to be a very special book that will be forever yours to keep, but you may have noticed that your book is missing many pieces, many memories. It is not because I never filled in those pages, or had pictures from those events. I am sorry that they are not there, but I have tried my best to fill in as much of the information as I can remember. You see, this is your second baby book, not your first. Your first book had everything—the pictures, the notes from friends, even a series of letters I had written for you before you were born. Sadly, it was all lost in the fire that destroyed the house that you, your father, and I shared._

_The fire took everything of yours, and everything I owned. I wish I could say that I kept the most cherished things in a fire-proof safe, but it's too late to worry about that for now. It's something you don't think about until after you lose the most precious things. After the fire, many of our friends from Romney offered the pictures I had given them of you at the hospital after your birth and on other occasions. Others offered memories for me to write down again, and I am very thankful they were so kind to help me, most of all Mrs. James and Mrs. Burkett and her family. They helped contribute so many pieces of this book. One day I will tell you about them. They were your mommy's friends. Mrs. Burkett was your daycare provider. She kept you for me after the fire so that I could settle everything. You were a very loved baby by all those who knew you. I only wish your father could see you again. I hope he would be very proud of his little boy._

_I hope to continue to fill your book even more now that I am back home in California. I am determined that the rest of your book shall be filled with memories of your early years that you can look back on and smile at. I love you, Bubby. Always keep that big smile of yours on your face. You have no idea how happy it makes so many people._

_Love,_

_Mommy_

Katherine wiped at her eyes, folding the letter back up and placing it back in the front cover of the book. She now knew why Kimberly had moved back to California. She had guessed it had been because her husband had died, but now she knew there was a much harsher reality behind it. Kimberly had lost everything, yet had tried to make the best of a new life in California. Katherine hadn't been in town all that long, but from what she could tell, Kimberly tried to do her best without complaining. She was a single mother who worked part-time to pay for her little family of two. Jason and Trini helped to cushion the expenses by watching Nathan for free, that Katherine knew. Still, Kimberly's life hadn't been all too glamorous, probably nothing like she had imagined as a teenage girl.

Sighing, Katherine stood and returned the baby book to Nathan's bookshelf. She decided to go make sure she had everything she'd need for a bottle when Nathan got up from his nap. She could hear soft grunts coming from his crib and figured he must be beginning to stir from what little sleep he'd gotten throughout the night. In the kitchen she found everything she'd need on the counter, which was good because it meant she wouldn't have to wake Kimberly up to ask. The coffee was still on the table, so Katherine put it in the refrigerator. It would keep in there, and Katherine could make Kimberly up some iced coffee instead. As she shut the refrigerator door, she noticed a yellow post-it note on the freezer door. _Dr. Ramirez – 11/9 – 2 PM_ was scrawled in Kimberly's writing. Katherine made a note of it in the back of her mind, reminding herself to wake Kimberly if she wasn't up by noon.

Katherine returned to Nathan's room, where she was suddenly hit with an odious stench that was quite displeasing to her nose. She made a face, knowing the source of the smell instantly. She quickly crossed the room to Nathan's crib, the odor increasing with every footstep. She glanced down into his crib, expecting him to still be sleeping. Nathan was not sleeping. His eyes were open, but he wasn't crying from discomfort. His right hand was in his mouth partway, and he was sucking on it, something soothing to pacify him. As soon as he noticed Katherine's head peek into his crib, he turned to look at her. There was something about those eyes of his that were frightening to her. They weren't the bouncy, happy brown color they usually were. Instead, a very dull, uninterested brown looked back at her.

Her foot released the crib railing, and she let it drop gently. She reached in to pick up Nathan, noticing him scrunch his nose up in discomfort. The diaper was starting to bother him. Katherine held him out at arm's length, carrying him to the changing table and laying him down gently. She kept one eye on him while the other searched for a new diaper and plenty of baby wipes. Placing both of these on the table, she set to the dirty task at hand. As she wiped Nathan clean, she found that his bottom was already sore from being wiped so much, and that Nathan wasn't all too fond of being wiped yet again. He squirmed in her grasp, kicking his legs to avoid being wiped. Finally though, she was able to put a new diaper onto him, tossing the dirty diaper and soiled wipes into the diaper pail beside the changing table.

Nathan looked up at her and held up his right arm. Katherine gave him a small smile, gently running her hands over his bare chest. Perhaps a gentle massage would help him feel a little better. Katherine wasn't sure. She'd never dealt with a sick baby, and she certainly didn't have children of her own. Her fingers ran lightly down his chest and to his stomach. Back and forth, to the left and to the right. Nathan cried out suddenly, causing Katherine to jump. Her hands pulled back suddenly, and Nathan's cry became a low whimper. Again she moved her hands to his stomach, back and forth, to the left and to the right. Another cry. "What's the matter?" Katherine asked in a whispery voice. She picked Nathan up, standing him up on the changing table so she could get a better look at his stomach.

If he could have talked to her, he would have. Unfortunately, Nathan didn't know what talking was. Those strange noises that came from his mouth didn't make much sense either. He felt pain every time the person in front of him touched that area on his tummy. His brain kept receiving signals: _Pain. Pain. Pain. _

Katherine studied Nathan's stomach. It didn't look any different than a baby's stomach should have. She reached down again, gently touching the same spot that had caused Nathan pain before. Her fingertips barely grazed the area, but it felt somewhat hard to her touch. It wasn't normal. Nathan pulled back and she removed her hand from the area. She had to tell Kimberly about this, if she didn't know already. The doctor might know what was causing it. In any case something was terribly wrong, something more than just a flu virus. Something….

The wet liquid that ran down the front of Katherine's shirt brought her back to her senses. She looked over at Nathan, who began to cry. Clear liquid ran down his chin and fell onto his tummy. Ignoring the vomit for now, she pulled him against her, rocking him slowly while reaching for the container of wipes. One hand held Nathan while the other grabbed a fresh wipe and dabbed at his face. She laid him on his back on the changing table, wiping the vomit from his naked body before retrieving a new wipe to dab at her shirt with. She scrunched up her nose at the smell. Both wipes were tossed into the diaper pail and Katherine reached for Nathan again. "How about we go give you a bath, hmm? Bet you don't like that icky feeling. A nice warm bath will make you feel better," she cooed to Nathan. She lifted him into her arms again and made her way to the bathroom. She'd change shirts when Kimberly woke up. Perhaps her friend would have something she could borrow.

Nathan was rocked back and forth in Katherine's arms as she knelt by the bathtub, her right hand continually testing the bath water. It was warm, but not too hot or too cold. Prior to beginning to run the water, she'd glanced around the bathroom to find Nathan's bathing supplies. Most of it was set in a basket hanging on the wall above the bathtub. Katherine also found a seat for Nathan to use. It was a rounded cylinder shape that had three legs coming out one end. At the end of each leg was a suction cup that held it stead fast to the tub. Katherine placed it in the tub and made sure it stuck before beginning to strip off Nathan's diaper. She set it aside before gently placing him in the seat.

Nathan drew his legs against him when they first hit the water, but he soon settled down. His hands rested against the ring at the top of the seat. Katherine grabbed a wash rag and wet it, gently wiping it over Nathan's body. He didn't react much to the water on his body, but Katherine continued, constantly dripping water over his backside. She grabbed the baby wash bottle and flipped the lid open. Milk and honey scented soap poured onto the rag and she worked the soap into it before lathering it into Nathan's body. The silence was unnerving so she began to sing. It was a cute kids' song and she couldn't remember how she first learned it, but she thought it might at least get a smile out of Nathan.

_I'm a little acorn round  
Lying on the cold, cold ground  
Everyone steps on me  
That is why I'm cracked you see_

_I'm a nut! (click, click) with tongue  
I'm a nut! (click, click)  
I'm a nut! I'm a nut! I'm a nut! (click, click)_

Katherine clicked her tongue at the end of each line of the chorus, which drew Nathan's attention to her. He began to watch her and so she continued her song. The rag made it's way down his back and up his stomach.

_Called myself on the telephone  
Just to hear my golden tone  
Asked me out for a little date  
Picked me up about half past eight_

_I'm a nut! (click, click) with tongue  
I'm a nut! (click, click)  
I'm a nut! I'm a nut! I'm a nut! (click, click)_

Nathan babbled softly at her, still watching her. He seemed fascinated every time she clicked her tongue at him. It seemed as though he was trying to sing along in his own way. Katherine lifted one arm and then the other, running the soapy rag along the lengths.

_Took myself to the movie show  
Stayed too late and said "Let's go"  
Took my hand and led me out  
Drove me home and gave a shout!_

_I'm a nut! (click, click) with tongue  
I'm a nut! (click, click)  
I'm a nut! I'm a nut! I'm a nut! (click, click)_

Katherine smiled down at Nathan as she finished her song and received a toothy smile in return. It was small, and appeared for only a few seconds, but it had been a smile nonetheless. Katherine began to rinse Nathan off with the warm water. "Atta boy…" she whispered.

**Okay so here's my disclaimer for the song and the fact that I do not own it. I didn't do it in the beginning because it would have seemed very weird at that point. I found the lyrics on the Internet, but changed them a bit to how I was taught to sing the song to children. I have no idea when the next chapter will be out, but it should be within the month, but hopefully less than that.**


	19. Signs Lead to Trouble

**Sorry it's taken me so long to get out another chapter. School is crazy and when I do have a free moment I don't feel like writing half the time. However, a bit of free time in math and being the only one to cover at work allowed me to finish most of this today and I finished the rest this evening. I knew it was time to add another chapter as I'd put out two more femslash oneshots.**

**I don't know if I've done this before, but I'm making it clear that this will be a Kim/Tommy...eventually. Their relationship isn't the focus of this fic. I thought I should make this clear since some of you know I write the Kim/Kat pairing in pretty much all my oneshots. Instead, I've decided to develop the two's friendship. So yeah. Expect Kim/Tommy at some point, but for now just enjoy the fic as it goes along :) **

**Chapter 19**

It was noon when Kimberly awoke. She sat up quickly, at first thinking she'd overslept. Then she realized that Katherine was keeping an eye on Nathan and would have woken her if anything had gone wrong. She rose slowly, checking herself over in the mirror first. Dark bags lay under her eyes and she was definitely lacking in sleep. The morning nap had given her back some of her energy. She had the urge to crawl back into bed and drift off to sleep again. However, her motherly instincts kicked in and she forced herself to open the door and go find Katherine and her son. She looked around, but could not see the two at all. Kimberly listened, and hearing a faint rattling noise, turned her head to the right. It led her to the front door, and she opened it, puzzled.Kimberly blinked, finding Katherine sitting on the front porch, Nathan at her side. The day was unsually warm for November. Kimberly watched Nathan for a few seconds, noticing his lack of play and how withdrawn he was. Katherine was talking softly to him and shaking a rattle, but Nathan didn't appear to be very interested. He watched the rattle, never moving a hand to take it as he normally would have.Katherine turned, feeling as though she was being watched. When she saw Kimberly behind her, she smiled. "Feel any better?"

Nodding, Kimberly replied, "Enough that I'm not falling asleep every other minute. How has he been?" She took a seat beside her son, who immediately crawled into her lap. Nathan laid his head against his mother's chest, not making a sound. Kimberly wrapped her arms around his little body, feeling very sorry for him. Compared to his usual self, he was pitiful looking.

Katherine set the rattle down before answering. "He's been fine. He got sick earlier so I gave him a bath. He's had a bottle too, about a half hour ago." Katherine gestured to her shirt. "I wasn't so lucky though. Poor guy… I don't think he knows what's happening with his body."

"I think I have a shirt you could borrow that would fit. You wouldn't have to wear that one," offered Kimberly. She felt bad that Katherine had to deal with Nathan's messes, even though Katherine had offered to watch him in the first place.

"Thanks, Kim." Katherine reached out and played with Nathan's fingers on his right hand. Dull eyes looked back up at her.

Kimberly rubbed small circles on Nathan's back and sighed. "I really hope this doctor's visit gives me some answers. I'm really starting to feel like I've failed as his mother."

Katherine frowned. "Don't say that, Kim. You're trying your best to help him fight whatever it is that's making him sick."

"I know, but every day that he's still sick I feel terrible. I want to make him better, but I have no control to do that."

Katherine laid a hand on Kimberly's shoulder. "We all wish we could play God sometimes, but He knows what's best. It's in His hands to make Nathan better and the doctor's too."

Kimberly smiled at her friend. "You're right. It's nice to finally be able to talk to someone face to face….I never had that back in West Virginia and it's not the same over the 'phone."

"Don't worry, Kimberly. Everyone's worried about Nathan. Tommy's asked me to keep him informed. He's looking forward to seeing the little guy on his birthday, especially after the Halloween incident."

Kimberly sighed again. "I don't even know if there will be a birthday party. Nathan's been so sick and I wanted to make this so special for him. I just haven't had time to plan since he's gotten sick."

"I think Nathan will understand in the future."

Kimberly shook her head. "I already have enough that he won't have to look back on…that's why I wanted to make this birthday a special one."

"I know…I saw his baby book. He's got you to look up to. He can look back and see how strong his mother was for him when times were hard."

"Let's not talk about that," suggested Kimberly in a soft voice. "With everything that's going on lately, it's just too much to think about."

"I'm sorry," apologized Katherine. "I didn't mean to." She looked down at Nathan, whose fingers had closed around her middle and index fingers. He'd fallen asleep in his mother's embrace and she couldn't help but smile at how peaceful he looked in her arms.

Kimberly looked up suddenly and turned her head toward the house. She could hear the muted sound of the telephone ringing. "Will you take him while I get that?" she whispered.

Katherine reached out and gently pulled Nathan from her arms as Kimberly rose to go inside. Nathan stirred in his sleep, making soft noises before curling up against Katherine and drifting back into a deep sleep. She rocked him gently in her arms. Taking care of Nathan that morning had given her her first glimpse into motherhood and the strains it held. She'd not taken care of a child since she was a teenager babysitting for a bit of spending money. She began to hum softly as she rocked him and she thought about the doctor's visit that afternoon. For some reason, she had a bad feeling about it and decided she'd offer to go with Kimberly. There was no one else, except for Trini and Jason. However, the two of them were to be gone all day. At least, that's what Katherine remembered Trini telling her the last time they'd spoken on the telephone. Tommy had school until after three, and that was if he didn't get roped into suddenly taking on detention for the afternoon. She was jolted from her thoughts when she heard the door shutting lightly behind her.

"Sorry about that. One of my gymnastic parents called about a class tonight."

"What about it?" asked Katherine.

"I told her I wouldn't be there as my son was to be taken to the doctor and that one of the college girls would be teaching the class tonight. They've been taking over for me the afternoons and evenings I haven't been able to make it to class. I already called in sick to the youth complex this morning."

"It's good you have others who can take over your coaching position while Nathan's sick."

"Yeah, but if I didn't have them I'd probably be out of a job. I can't afford to lose my job right now, not with Nathan sick."

"Speaking of Nathan… why don't you go get ready for his doctor's appointment? I'll go put him in his crib for now."

"Kat, you really don't have to do all of this for me."

Katherine smiled. "It's no trouble at all. Besides, you could use the help. Now go on and get ready and I'll throw together some lunch after I lay him down."

By one-thirty, Kimberly was ready and had food in her stomach. Katherine had thrown together a few sandwiches and some fruit and the two of them had eaten and caught up on what they'd missed over the years. Nathan didn't wake up until it was almost time to go. Kimberly choose an outfit for Nathan to wear, a pair of navy sweatpants with a yellow t-shirt that had "Baby Mountaineer" written in navy lettering. She put his navy baseball cap on, which bore the letters "WVU" in a golden yellow. It was an outfit she'd gotten for him for the future just before they'd moved back home to California. She was never one for sports, but Andrew had been loyal to the West Virginia University Mountaineers, especially during the football and basketball seasons and they'd gotten some apparel for Nathan when he was older.

"Cute outfit," Katherine commented from the doorway, twirling a key ring around her right index finger, the keys jingling.

"His daddy bought that for him just after he was born," Kimberly commented softly. That was right before Andrew had changed. "He loved the Mountaineers and swore Nathan would learn all about the sports and the team with him." She went silent, lifting Nathan into her arms.

Katherine crossed the floor. "I'm sorry, Kim," she whispered.

Kimberly shook her head, reaching for Nathan's diaper bag beside the changing table. She checked to make sure there plenty of diapers and wipes, a spare change of clothes just in case, a few toys, and a couple pacifiers. She placed the strap on her shoulder and began to walk toward the kitchen. "Don't worry about it, Kat. Sometimes it's just very hard for me when I remember the good things, but worse when I remember the bad." She did not elaborate, and her statement left Katherine very confused.

After grabbing two bottles filled with Pedialyte, the two women made their way outside. "We're taking my car," called Katherine. "You're still too tired to drive. Don't worry about Nathan's car seat; I already moved it to my car." Kimberly smiled as she watched Katherine carry Nathan to her car, a white Ford Taurus.

"Kat, you're such a lifesaver sometimes," replied Kimberly. She waited while Katherine strapped Nathan into the seat before placing the diaper bag at his feet and getting into the passenger side of the vehicle.

"Where's the doctor's office?" asked Katherine.

"Downtown San Rio. It's right on Main Street beside that tanning salon."

"Oh I know where it is. It's that pediatrician's office with the giant smiling sun in the window."

"That's the one," confirmed Kimberly, who turned to look out the window.

Katherine didn't like the silence that fell over the vehicle and turned to look at Kimberly every so often. Kimberly had continued to stare out the window, a look of worry and concern on her face, and Katherine knew she was worried about what the doctor would tell her about Nathan today. She glanced into the rearview mirror and noticed Nathan looking at his hands, which were placed near his knees on the chest straps. He looked very warm and not too well. Katherine turned her eyes back toward the road, and finally finished the short drive. She parked in front of the pediatrician's office and turned off the ignition. Kimberly made no move to get out of the vehicle. Katherine patted her knee. "Come on Kim. Let's get him inside," she spoke softly.

Kimberly turned away from the window, unbuckling her seatbelt. Katherine waited until she got out and went to unbuckle Nathan from his seat before she opened her door and got out, making sure she locked the car. The two women walked inside, Kimberly holding Nathan and his diaper bag. Nathan was looking as though he was on the verge of falling asleep again. Katherine wordlessly took Nathan from Kimberly's arms as well as the diaper bag before taking a seat in the waiting room. Kimberly went to the front window to sign Nathan in.

Katherine settled Nathan in her lap before taking a look at the room. It was small and whitewashed. A border ran around the walls, picturing toddlers and young children at play in various activities. In one corner of the room, near the front window was a corner for the children, filled with books, beanbags, and small toys to keep them occupied while they waited. Chairs lined the walls and the middle of the room. Very few people were waiting at the moment. Two small children, about three, played in the toy corner. The little boy was trying to read a book to his sister, who wasn't listening to him. His mother, Katherine guessed, sat nearby watching the two children as she read a Woman's Day magazine. In the other corner of the room sat a father with a school age boy, about six or seven. He was resting his head against his father and coughing at frequent intervals.

Katherine looked toward the back where the receptionist desk was. She looked friendly enough. She was speaking to Kimberly and it appeared as though they were discussing something. Kimberly nodded once more before returning to Katherine. "It won't be long before we go back. The receptionist said that we'd be second since appointments come before walk-ins." She took Nathan from Katherine, who had fallen asleep in her arms again. Katherine picked up a magazine, glancing through it. She was halfway through an article on toddlers and their play habits when the office door opened.

"Nathan Tyree?" called the nurse as she glanced down at her clipboard, then out at the office. Kimberly stood, shifting Nathan in her arms. Acknowledging her, the nurse wrote something on the clipboard. "Follow me," she called crisply.

Katherine watched Kimberly disappear with the nurse before returning to the magazine. She continued to flip through it, soon discarding it for a copy of an old Nickelodeon magazine. There was nothing else interesting to read. The magazine itself had been well thumbed through, with some many of the pages bent in one way or another, and some with rips and tears. She was finishing a comic on Spongebob Squarepants when the door finally opened again, Kimberly walking out with Nathan.

Something was wrong, very wrong. The doctor was trying to console Kimberly, who was crying as she held Nathan, who was awake, but wiggling in her arms as though he couldn't get comfortable. Katherine rose and walked over to the group. "What's wrong?" she asked Kimberly.

Dr. Ramirez turned to look at the tall blonde who'd walked over. "Are you with Ms. Tyree?" she asked. Katherine nodded. "Good. She's in no condition to drive. She needs to get her son to the hospital right now. I've called ahead and they are waiting on his arrival."

"What? Why?" asked Katherine, shocked.

"From what I can tell and diagnose, Nathan has appendicitis. It's rare in children his age, but it can still occur. He needs to be operated on as soon as possible or trouble could arise. The hospital will run a battery of tests to confirm this; they have the proper equipment to do so. From the signs he's showing though, I'm pretty sure they will say the same thing. The biggest symptom is the hard spot on his stomach and that he feels some pain and discomfort there when it's touched. Get him there immediately."

Kimberly moved away and picked up Nathan's diaper bag from the chair before leaving and heading toward the car. Katherine knew she didn't want to hear the same story again. "I'll make sure of it," she promised.

"And keep his mother calm. She's taking it very hard, which is to be expected. She's thinking she's a failure as a parent and needs someone to keep her calm and in her right sense of mind."

"Thank you," said Katherine before turning to leave. She found Kimberly waiting by the car and realized she'd locked the doors. She quickly unlocked them, and Kimberly placed Nathan into his car seat as Katherine started the car. "Which hospital?" she asked Kimberly.

Kimberly got in and buckled herself up before answering. She wouldn't look at Katherine, instead, turning to look out the window once again. "Reefside Memorial," was her soft reply.

**So yes, Harry2 was correct in his guess in the last chapter's review. Now... wait 'til you see where I take this one...yes it's gonna be all emotional. Anyway, please leave some feedback.**


	20. Dr O is Short For?

**Well another chapter finally. School is so stressful. End of semester work sucks major, but I've been able to get this chapter out since I didn't have so much work this weekend. Enjoy!**

** Chapter 20 Dr. O is Short For?...  
**

Katherine replaced the telephone on the receiver dejectedly. She'd finally made the last call for Kimberly, who had been in no state to make the calls herself. She didn't look forward to returning to the room Nathan had been placed in to prep for his surgery. He was in the children's wing, in the room set aside for infants and toddlers. He looked even more pitiful behind the metal bars of the special hospital crib. To Katherine, it was like a cage more than a crib, a prison for a sick child, as though he'd done something wrong. It was heart breaking to see him hooked up to the machines, the IV trailing from his scalp.

She began a slow walk back to the children's wing, thinking about the calls she'd placed. Jason and Trini weren't home so Katherine had left a brief message on their answering machine. Kimberly's mother also wasn't home, and Katherine had no idea what the time was in Paris anyway. The only one she'd been able to get a hold of was Tommy. He'd still been at school, taking care of the detention duties he hated so much. He'd answered his cell phone cheerfully, but by the time Katherine had explained everything, he had been very somber indeed. Katherine could hear the worry in his voice, and she asked him to come to the hospital as soon as he could to be with Kimberly. He'd readily agreed, promising to be there within the next hour or so. He would have left immediately, but there were no other faculty present to relieve him. Katherine smiled to herself; what a difference almost a decade could make.

Kimberly watched Nathan sleep, worry and fear wracking her mind. He looked so small and tiny within the crib. A fresh wave of tears washed over her as she remembered being told Nathan needed to be taken to the hospital immediately. After that, everything had been a blur of events from the arrival at the hospital, to Nathan being taken away for testing, to receiving the official word that Nathan did have appendicitis. His surgery was going to be in a few hours. For now, the waiting game was in effect. She ran her fingers lightly over Nathan's arm.

"Kimberly?" called Katherine's voice softly as she entered the room again. Kimberly jumped, startled from her thoughts. "Sorry to scare you," apologized Katherine. "I couldn't get a hold of anyone but Tommy. He'll be here within the hour, as soon as detention let's out. He's really worried about Nathan."

Kimberly nodded, giving no answer to Katherine, nor turning to look at her. She continued to look at her son, stroking his arm gently. Katherine placed a hand on Kimberly's shoulder, squeezing lightly. "The doctors are going to help him, Kimberly. You brought him in time. He'll be okay."

Tommy sighed deeply as he locked the classroom door. Detention was an ever boring, ever taxing duty. At least he knew none of his students would suddenly become Power Rangers by falling into his secret basement… he didn't think he could live through that again. He reminded himself that that would never happen; there were no more sources of power to use…unless Haley had been tinkering…again. He shook his head. She wouldn't do that without asking him first. He feared that one of these days she'd do it, then make him the orange Ranger out of spite, all because of the "Orange Fire" incident in college. How was he supposed to know that the dye was a brilliant, bright orange color, and not the specific shade of brown Haley had asked for?

He shook his head. Being the Dino Thunder mentor had been enough to last for a lifetime. His footsteps echoed down the empty hallway, his mind on Nathan and Kimberly. She'd been through so much before moving here. Just when things were beginning to settle down, this happened. There was nothing he could do to change the situation. He searched through his pants pockets for his keys as he pushed open the front door and headed for his jeep.

A few minutes later Tommy pulled up in front of a small toy store on Main Street. He made his way inside, heading for a particular aisle. He looked around quickly, searching for just the perfect item. However, there was an overabundance and Tommy didn't have much time. His head spun with all the possible choices that lay on the shelves before him. A small blonde-haired girl came up to him. 'Whatcha looking for, mister?" she asked in a small voice.

Tommy looked down at the little girl, who was dressed in a pink sundress and had her hair pulled into two high pony tails on her head. For some reason, Tommy was suddenly thinking he was seeing a miniature Spice Girl before his eyes. The little girl looked up at him with big blue eyes and a freckled face. Tommy knelt to her level. "Well, my friend has a baby boy that's kinda sick. I was trying to find a really good stuffed toy to take to him," Tommy explained in what he hoped would be terms understood by the girl.

"Awww, is he in the hos'ital?" she asked, giving a look of concern only a child could give.

"Yes, he is. So I want to take him something to make him feel better."

"Are you his daddy?" asked the girl.

Tommy did a double-take. He was almost certain that he'd told the girl it was for a friend. "No, I'm not his daddy. I'm just a friend of his mommy."

The girl nodded. "My mommy has lots of man friends, too," she answered seriously.

Tommy started to turn red. He was quite certain the little girl shouldn't be speaking about that. "Can you help me find something for him? My name's Tommy, but you can call me Dr. O if you like."

A fit of giggles spilled from her mouth. "My name is Abby." Abby moved toward the shelf, sticking her tiny arms into the mountain of stuffed toys. She moved her arms around in the pile for a few seconds before finally pulling her arms out. In her hands was a brown teddy bear that was wearing a red plaid shirt and a pair of denim blue jeans. On its head was a matching denim baseball cap. "Here you go, Tommy. He'll like this teddy bear." She placed the bear into his arms.

Tommy smiled. "Thanks, A—" He was cut off by a woman's voice.

"Abby? Abigail? Where are you sweetie?" the voice called before rounding the corner. Tommy found himself face to face with a petite woman, brown hair pulled back into a pony tail. She wore a pink blouse, dark blue jeans, and white tennis shoes. A look of relief crossed her face when she saw her daughter, but then frowned when she saw her with a stranger. "Abigail Sinclair, what have I told you about talking to strangers?" she scolded.

"But mommy, you have all kinds of man friends," protested Abby.

Tommy gave the woman a smile. "I'm sorry, ma'am. She was helping me find a gift for my friend's sick son. I'm Dr. Oliver, Dr. O for short." He offered her a hand, but when she didn't take it he awkwardly pulled it back.

The woman narrowed her eyes at Tommy, not believing a word he'd just said. She reached out and yanked Abby to her side before turning away. "Come on, Abigail. You know not to talk to strangers. We're going to have a talk on strangers when we get home, missy."

"But mommy!" whined Abby as they turned the corner.

"Dr. O. my foot. Probably some pedo name, short for Dr. Orgasm or something," was the last thing Tommy heard the woman mutter. He was left standing in the middle of the aisle, teddy bear in hand. He felt both foolish and sad. He'd never had something like that happen to him before.

He turned around to head for the cash register, and stopped dead in his tracks. There stood a little boy, younger than Abby. "What's a 'orgas' mister?" he asked shyly. Tommy quickly turned and walked away in the other direction. The last thing he needed was another irate parent on his tail. Or, even worse, have it get back to one of his high school students. He'd be the laughing stock of the school, that's for certain.

"Mommy, mommy! I met this strange man and his name is Dr. Orgas!" yelled the boy, running down the aisle. Tommy had never hightailed it out of that store so fast in his life. He made a mental note to never return there again.

**15 minutes later**

Tommy walked slowly down the hallway, a box with red wrapping paper and blue ribbon in hand. He'd finally gotten out of that dreadful toy store, without any more incidents. He'd made it to the hospital in one piece and had asked for directions to the children's wing. Now he was just a few feet away, and gladly so. He looked ahead and saw Katherine at a juice machine nearby. "Kat!" he called out.

Katherine jumped, jolted from her thoughts. She pressed a button on the machine and turned to look at the person. "Tommy? Oh thank goodness you made it. They're getting ready to take Nathan to surgery in about an hour." She picked up the juice bottle that slid down.

"I had a stop to make first, and it took longer than I expected."

Katherine then noticed the box in Tommy's hand. "What'd you buy?" she asked as she unscrewed the cap from her apple juice and took a sip.

"It's just a little something for Nathan, a comfort gift of sorts. It could be an early birthday present too. I figured he could use something after the surgery. How's Kim holding up?"

Katherine frowned some. "Not well," she answered softly. "She's blaming herself for letting this happen and not catching it sooner. She thinks she's been a bad parent. Seeing Nathan in that cage crib doesn't help either. Kimberly's been crying on and off. I'm sure you'd be a welcome face." The look of concern that crossed Tommy's face was unmistakable and Katherine had to smile some. "Just go on inside. It's the first door to your left. You'll find them right near the door."

Tommy nodded and continued inside, following Katherine's directions. He walked silently, past the children and into the infants and toddlers room. He stood there, looking at Kimberly for a few minutes. She looked so fragile and broken here as she sobbed against the sheets of Nathan's crib. He crept over to where she sat and knelt beside her. "Kim? Hey Kim…it's okay…Nathan's gonna be okay…" he whispered to her.

Kimberly looked over at him through her tears. "Tommy?" she asked in a soft voice.

Tommy gave her a soft smile. "I'm here, Kim. I got here as soon as I could after Katherine called me. And I've brought something for Nathan too." He held up the gift box.

"Tommy… you shouldn't have…"

Tommy handed Kimberly the box. "Don't worry about it. I figured he could use a comfort toy."

Kimberly set the box in her lap, pulling off the blue ribbon and tearing away the red wrapping paper. She opened the box and let out a small gasp as she picked the teddy bear up out of the box. "Tommy…it's beautiful…"

"I had a little help picking it out. The little girl said he'd like it."

"Little girl?" Kimberly asked.

"Let's not go into that…there were a few incidents while I was at the toy store…" trailed Tommy nervously. He watched Kimberly place the bear next to Nathan, smiling when the boy snuggled closer to the stuffed animal.

Kimberly turned to Tommy and hugged him tightly. "Thank you, Tommy."

Tommy hugged Kimberly back. "Not a problem, Kim."

The two were interrupted when a nurse entered the room with another doctor. Between them was a gurney. "It's time to take Nathan into surgery," spoke the doctor in a soft voice. Kimberly stood and picked Nathan up from the crib, holding him close against her chest. She leaned over and whispered into his ear. "Be brave, my little one. Mommy loves you very much." She couldn't help but start to tear up as she handed him over to the nurse. Tommy stood and put an arm around Kimberly's shoulder, and was surprised when she turned and buried her head into his chest.

The two watched the trio wheel Nathan out of the room and toward the operation room. Kimberly only cried harder into Tommy's chest and he felt powerless to help. He wrapped his arms around her, holding her close. A vague memory floated around in his mind, and he remembered how being held close used to calm Kimberly all those years ago. He held her there and let her cry her heart out. He picked the teddy bear up and handed it to Kimberly, who cuddled it close against her.

**20 Minutes Later**

Katherine returned to the infants and toddlers room, having figured she'd given Kimberly and Tommy plenty of time alone to talk. She entered and smiled at the sight before her. She found Tommy and Kimberly sitting on one of the green olive couches in the room, Kimberly asleep in Tommy's arms. She was currently using Tommy's chest as a pillow and seemed quite satisfied too. Tommy smiled over at Katherine. "She cried herself to sleep…it's probably best for her to rest for now while Nathan's in surgery," he whispered to Katherine.

"Probably… it'd keep her from worrying so much…though I'm worried about him too. He's so young, and I've never heard of someone his age having appendicitis."

"It's in the doctors' hands now, Kat. All we can do is wait and see what happens. He's strong. After all, he takes after Kimberly. I know he'll stay strong and pull through."

Katherine nodded. "That's all we can do, Tommy. That's all we can do." She took pulled a chair over near the couch and sat with her friends. This was the hardest part—the waiting. She had no idea how long the surgery would take, but the less time it took the less worrying she could do, the less worrying they could all do. After all, Nathan couldn't die, could he?

**Hmm can he die? All depends on what I decide...**


	21. Goodbyes Are Not Forever

**This will probably be the last chapter for a few weeks. I've finals next week, and then a weeklong summer art for teachers course... that will be a nightmare in itself as it's 8-4 every day. Anyway I thought I'd get this out before then. Enjoy!  
Chapter 21**

The next thing Kimberly knew, she was being shaken awake by a gentle hand. "Kim, Kim, wake up," whispered the masculine voice. Kimberly tired to fight against her waking body, but found sleep fading fast. Her eyes opened, and then closed just as quickly. The harsh light burned her eyes. She groaned and sat up, rubbing her eyes and opening them slowly. She found herself next to Tommy, a look of concern on his face. She looked up and saw a tall man in a long white coat. His face was stoic, and she could not figure out what news he brought. At first she couldn't even remember where she was, but it soon dawned on her that she was at the hospital.

Kimberly noticed Katherine walk into the room that moment, returning with a plate of sandwiches. She must have left while Kimberly was asleep, if she had even left at all. The smell of ham and turkey wafted to Kimberly's nose and her stomach let out an embarrassing grumble. Katherine stood by the couch, sandwich plate in hand. "I brought something for dinner," she called to Tommy and Kimberly. "This was the best looking food the cafeteria had to offer."

The doctor stood before them, running a hand through his curly blonde hair. He appeared nervous, and Katherine's happy mood only seemed to make him even more nervous. Kimberly watched as his face began to show some emotion. He appeared to be a young man in his late twenties, a new doctor at the hospital. He looked…pained to Kimberly. He coughed and cleared his throat. "Ms. Tyree," he began as he nodded to her, "I have some news about your son, Nathan."

"Yes?" answered Kimberly, her stomach becoming twisted in knots. Deep down, there was a fear… it couldn't, no it couldn't possibly…Was he a bearer of bad news?

"I'm sorry to have to tell you this. We did everything we could to save him, but we lost him on the operating table. His appendix ruptured and his vitals went downhill from there. We tried everything we could think of, but nothing could be done. I'm very sorry this had to happen to such a young boy. I'll leave you alone for awhile to be with your friends." His voice had become uneven, and it was easy to see that he was fighting back the tears that threatened to build up. His footsteps echoed on the tiled linoleum as he exited the room.

The first few seconds felt like an eternity to Kimberly as his words echoed over and over in her mind as her brain tried to process what had just been said. Then as meaning dawned, her breathing increased. It couldn't be… this can't have happened. How do you die from something so simple? A sob escaped her lips and she broke down. She leaned against the nearest thing and cried. Strong arms wrapped around her, holding her tightly. Another pair of arms came around her, but the only sounds she heard were those of her own doing. "Nathan, Nathan! I want my son back!" she sobbed over and over again. She fell to her knees, bringing the arms with her. It was unreal, this was a dream! It had to be a dream…there was no way he could have died. They were lying to her. They lied about his death. They had to… Nathan couldn't be gone forever. He wasn't even a year old yet and his life was over.

The arms held her for as long as she remembered. The next thing she knew, she was waking up in a bed. She turned her head and looked around, confused. This was not the hospital. The walls were painted in a pale yellow and sunshine streamed through the slats in the blinds. Kimberly sat up, pushing the ruby comforter off her body. Something rolled, followed by a thump, and then a mewling. Kimberly peeked over the side of the bed, finding a white kitten laying on the floor. The kitten picked itself up and began to lick its fur, its body turned away from her. _Where am I?_ Kimberly wondered as she rose from the bed. She placed her socked feet on the floor and stretched. It was then she got a glimpse of herself. She wore a baggy blue t-shirt and a pair of grey sweatpants that had been tied tightly around her waist. The light scent of perfume wafted to her nose. _These aren't my clothes_. Kimberly thought to herself. A noise startled her and she turned suddenly, not expecting what she saw before her.

There on the bed sat her baby boy. Kimberly blinked, not believing what she saw before her. "N-Nathan?" she gasped, inching closer to her son. She stopped in front of the bed; there was a strange ethereal glow around his body. Kimberly sat on the edge of the bed, reaching a nervous hand toward him. She made contact and gasped when her hand didn't go through his body. "But you died," she whispered in a shocked voice. Nathan babbled happily in response. It was as though nothing was out of the ordinary. Nathan was wearing a simple pale blue onesie and nothing else. His feet were bare. Nathan crawled over to Kimberly and into her lap, laying his head against her chest. He continued to babble to himself and began to play with his fingers.

Warm tears fell onto the top of Nathan's head, wetting the thin blonde hairs. Kimberly had wrapped her arms tightly around Nathan, afraid to let go and see him disappear before her very eyes. "Nathan…Nathan…are you real? You can't be real. You died… they told me so…" she murmured as she kissed the top of his head. Was she going crazy? Was she seeing things? Could Nathan be a trick played by her grief-stricken mind? Was she only imagining all of this?

It was as though Nathan understood exactly what she was saying. He stopped babbling and slipped out of Kimberly's arms, using strength that no baby would have. Kimberly watched him in amazement. Nathan grabbed his mother's shirt and pulled himself to his feet. He looked directly at her; Kimberly shuddered. It was as though he was glimpsing into her soul. Nathan raised his right hand, placing the palm on his mother's forehead. Kimberly wondered what this strange behavior was all about, but soon received her answer. _It's okay mommy. Don't be scared_ were the words she heard in her mind. She placed her arms on his waist to steady him, not wanting him to fall.

"Did you just… talk in my head?" she asked in amazement.

Nathan nodded to her, his face serious. _Mommy I'm okay. You'll be okay too. Daddy's with me now."_

"A-Andrew's there?" came the shocked whisper.

"Yes, Kim. Yes I am," came a voice from her left side. Kimberly turned her head quickly and found Andrew standing before her. He wore a pair of black dress pants with an olive green shirt. A maroon tie complimented his shirt and polished black shoes completed the outfit. It was the outfit he had been wearing the day he died in the accident. She distinctly remembered picking out that very outfit for him that day. His fingers straightened his tie as he walked closer to her.

Kimberly stared in shock as her dead husband walked toward her. Here was the man she should be spending the rest of her life with, the man she'd taken vows of marriage with. Here was the man who had helped to conceive their son, helped her through her pregnancy… Tears welled up in her eyes. Here was the man who had cared so much for their new family and showered mother and son with gifts… for the first week or so. Kimberly's face began to change as a new wave of thoughts came rushing toward her. Here was the man who rarely took part in raising their son, only doing so when it was a convenience for him. Here was the man who emotionally abused her, even though it was never much. Here was the man she had planned to divorce had he lived, to get away from the fighting and the lack of caring. His death had freed her from that trouble, though in a gruesome, terrible manner. His death had allowed for many new things to happen in her life and brought her old friends back into her life. "Stop," she declared in a cold voice, stopping him at the edge of the bed.

Andrew looked at her and she stared him down. Once the floodgate had opened, even more memories came forth. Images flashed briefly in her mind, the bad overpowering the few good ones in between. The first Christmas the two had spent together. Andrew yelling at her for Nathan's crying. Andrew refusing to take Nathan to his doctor's appointments. Kimberly removed Nathan from her lap, placing him gently on the bed. She didn't want him between the two of them, and wished he didn't have to hear the two of them disagree like this. She then slid off the bed and stood, staring up at Andrew. "You have no right to talk to me as if everything is okay, as though nothing's wrong. Before the accident, you were a terrible husband and father. Right after Nathan's birth you changed for the worse. It's as though our son is to blame for your actions. It's not fair to him. Rarely would you show true love toward your family. All you cared about was yourself and your precious schoolwork. Sometimes your family comes first, but you would never put us first. You didn't seem to care to." She spoke in an even, hard voice, hiding the fear deep inside her, hoping a tremble in her voice wouldn't give her away. She watched Andrew as she spoke, felt his eyes on her.

"I know I was a terrible person, Kim. I know that now. I have the rest of eternity and I have to live with the choices I made when I was alive. I—"

"Reflection won't change things now, Andrew. You can reflect all you want, but it won't change anything for me. Reflection won't change what you did to our family. If you were alive perhaps you could mend your ways, but you aren't. I don't know if I would have been patient enough to wait for you to change. You're dead Andrew. No reflection can ever change that. No reflection can ever bring you back or bring our lives back to what they used to be."

Andrew nodded, something Kimberly wasn't expecting. "I can't change things. You're right about that. I do watch over our son though, watch him grow up. He was finding a new father figure in life. I saw the Halloween incident with that other man. Nathan has found a new family amongst your friends."

Kimberly nodded sadly. "Nathan was growing into a fine little boy. All my friends were seeing to that. They helped me out when I needed it most, gave me the comfort and support system that kept me going each day. I may have turned my back on them, but they never turned their backs on me." She looked over at Nathan, who had laid on his back and was curled up, sleeping. She figured he'd gotten tired of listening to the bickering, or he simply knew how to pretend really well. It wouldn't surprise her now if he was pretend sleeping and listening to every word that was being said. He looked like a little angel, laying there so peacefully. _Is_ she corrected herself. _He is a little angel, God's little angel boy now._

"He'll wake up soon enough, Kimberly," called Andrew as she watched Nathan. "Just as you will. No one sleeps forever."

"What are you talking about?" asked Kimberly, turning to look at Andrew. She didn't know what he was talking about. Was he becoming a distorted, insane nightmare as well?

"You're going to wake up soon."

"I am awake. I'm here and I'm talking to you and my son in some strange twisted way. I don't know how, but I am."

"This isn't how it's supposed to be," replied Andrew, shaking his head. This confused Kimberly.

"What are you talking about?"

"Wake up, Kim," he whispered as his body began to fade away. Kimberly quickly turned to look at Nathan, and saw his body had begun to fade away as well. She rushed to his side and picked him up into her arms, cradling him against her chest and rocking him gently. She looked down and saw her own arms through his translucent skin. His eyes opened some and he smiled up at her.

"No…don't leave me…you can't leave me, Nathan! I can't lose my son…. I can't lose you… I love you!" she cried, tears beginning to roll down her face. They fell onto Nathan's face, and rolled down his cheeks. She felt a hand on her shoulder and turned to look at Andrew, whose body was quickly fading away.

"It's time to wake up, Kimberly," he whispered as the lower half of his body completely disappeared.

"I don't understand!" yelled Kimberly in frustration.

Nathan and Andrew's bodies faded away and Kimberly's arms were left holding themselves. "There's no one left but me," she whispered softly as she cried.

_You've got to wake up_ came a voice that sounded like Andrew's, though Kimberly couldn't pinpoint it within the room. It echoed, bouncing off the walls until they faded into blackness…

Kimberly opened her eyes slowly, looking up into the concerned face of Tommy Oliver. She found her head was resting on his chest and her left arm was resting on his shoulder. "You're finally awake. You sleep pretty deeply," commented Tommy.

"Where am I? Is Nathan…did he…" trailed Kimberly, too afraid to ask any questions for fear she'd burst into tears. She sat up, trying to rid her body of sleep.

"Is he out of surgery? Yes, he is. He's in the recovery room at the moment and they're just waiting for him to wake up and make sure everything's okay before they bring him back here. I tried to wake you up, but you were in too deep of a sleep. The doctor said it was best to leave you asleep for now."

Kimberly breathed a sigh of relief. "That's great. I'm glad he made it out okay."

"Something wrong?" asked Tommy.

Kimberly shook her head. "No, I'm fine. Where's Katherine?" she asked, trying to switch subjects. She wasn't exactly sure she wanted to share the strange dream. Just thinking about it freaked her out. Seeing a dead son and husband can do that to a person. For some reason though, she felt as though the part with Andrew was real in a sense. Had he entered her dreams to speak with her? Could he do that? Was there even such a way imagined?

"…and then… Kim? Kimberly? Earth to Kimberly!" called Tommy, shaking her from her thoughts.

"Huh?"

"I said she left to run home to take care of Curio. He has a strict schedule he sticks to and Katherine didn't want him to tear up the curtains or break her egg timer again, or knock her cordless telephone into the toilet, which had been his most recent stunt when he was exploring the countertop in the bathroom."

"How long has she been gone?"

"About a half-hour. She said she'd be back within the hour. I think she was becoming a bit creeped out by the hospital. She was up on the maternity ward floor after you left. She said that all the newborns calm her down."

Kimberly smiled. Nathan wasn't dead. She hadn't really talked to her son and husband. She removed herself from Tommy, standing and stretching. Her stomach grumbled in protest.

"Would you like to go grab a bite to eat while we wait for Nathan?" asked Tommy.

"I'd love to," replied Kimberly.

**Okay so yes I was evil. Everyone kept saying not to kill him...so I didn't... sorta. I had to freak you guys out somehow though. The incidents with Curio are based on the shenanigans of my one professor's two cats, and they've done all those things (except it was a $300 cell phone, not a cordless phone.) Leave some loving reviews :)  
**


	22. Dinner and a Party?

**Well, here is chapter 22 finally. I know I promised this over a month ago, but after that art class finished I just crashed. I did get an A in it though. Then Energy Express started and I got absorbed and busy with my kids I mentor and then my girlfriend broke up with me. So it's been a very hard and stressful time for me. However, writing is helping me out some and so I finished up this chapter. I do so hope you enjoy it. I've some new ideas for the story as well that have come to me, but this time no one shall know about them until they happen. Let's just say things might suddenly just...happen. :D Enjoy the chapter and leave feedback! **

**Chapter 22**

Instead of taking Kimberly to the hospital cafeteria, Tommy instead opted for the little corner bistro café that was next to the gift shop. He knew from experience that hospital food was never tasty, no matter how delicious it looked. It was _always _terrible; he'd learned that lesson when Rocky had been in the hospital. Chicken wasn't his friend for a few months after that incident. He figured that a corner bistro would be a much better option, and much better on the stomach.

The café itself was barely full and Tommy spotted two other small tables being occupied, one by what appeared to be a husband and wife, and another by two women. He led Kimberly into the dimly lit area and they took their seats at one of the high two-seater tables with the iron wrought chairs to match. Cream colored cushions supported the color scheme. Menus were already placed atop the table, along with the silverware wrapped up in a napkin. Tommy picked up one of the menus. "Mind if I order for both of us?" he asked softly.

"No, go ahead," replied Kimberly, staring out the window to her left. It faced the parking lot, which was darkened except for the street lamps outside and the vehicles coming and going.

"Katherine should be back soon. Will you return home tonight or stay here with Nathan?"

"I'm not sure. I don't want to leave Nathan but he's not in a private room… it'd be awkward being in there with other parents. I don't want to leave him though…I already feel bad enough."

Tommy reached a hand over and rested his on top of Kimberly's. "Do what you think is best for yourself and him. Wouldn't he miss his mother? He loves you to death you know."

Kimberly smiled. "You're right, Tommy. I should stay for him. For the record though, if I don't sleep well, it'll be on your head."

Tommy held up his hands. "Hey now. That's not to be blamed on me."

"Are you ready to order?" interrupted a voice. Kimberly and Tommy looked up to find a tall waiter standing there, pencil and pad in hand. He wore glasses and had slicked back his charcoal black hair. He looked bored as he waited for their answer.

"Shall I order for both of us?" asked Tommy. He was giving Kimberly a look that said he'd get rid of the waiter quicker that way.

"Go ahead," answered Kimberly.

Tommy quickly glanced over the menu before spotting something appetizing. "We'll take two smoked turkey, provolone, and bacon sandwiches, with two chef salads. I'll have a coke to drink. Kim, what would you like to drink?"

"Just water," replied Kimberly.

The waiter wrote down their order on his pad. "Would you like those sandwiches hot or cold?"

"Hot."

Will that be all?" asked the waiter as he made a final notation on his pad.

"I think so," answered Tommy as he handed the menus over to the waiter. The waiter walked away and Tommy turned back to Kimberly. "Now where were we?"

Kim gave him a slight smile. "The part where we agreed I could blame you for my lack of sleep, remember."

"Right, you can blame me…hey wait a minute! That's not what we were talking about!" realized Tommy.

Kimberly chuckled. "I know. I just needed a good laugh."

**Elsewhere…**

Jason fumbled for the house key on his key ring. It couldn't be so hard to find such a key…after all there were only ten or so others that looked just like the darned thing. Jason flipped through the keys. "This one…no this one… maybe this one…"

"If you would have made a mark on the house key like I asked you to, we wouldn't be having this problem right now," chided Trini in a pleasant voice.

"And if you would have stopped giving me so many keys like I asked you to, I wouldn't have to worry about making marks on keys," replied Jason in an equally pleasant voice. The lock finally clicked and the couple made their way inside the house. Jason leaned over and kissed his wife on the cheek. "I'll go see if anyone's called. You go find what you wanted to cook for dinner."

"Okay. I'll go find that veggie tofu pizza I've been wanting to try on you…" trailed Trini.

"That was not what you said earlier," protested Jason.

"I'm kidding dear. I'll go find the sirloins."

Jason walked toward the table outside of the kitchen where the telephone and answering machine were located. He noticed the blinking red dot and hummed as he pushed the button to play the saved message. "You have two new messages," called the automated voice.

"Now who's called?" he wondered to himself, not bothering to check the caller ID on the telephone.

Katherine's voice replaced the automated one. "Jason, this is an emergency. It's about Nathan. He's got appendicitis and has been taken to the hospital. They're going to operate on him soon…" Jason continued to listen to the message, worry covering his face. As the first message ended, the second one began. Again, Katherine's voice floated over the room. "It's me again. Nathan's made it out of surgery okay. Tommy's still with Kimberly at the hospital and I've made a run home to take care of curio. Visiting hours are over, but Kimberly really needs some support…"

Jason turned around as soon as the message ended and headed to the garage, where he knew Trini would be checking the freezer for sirloins. He noticed the door was open and made his way inside softly. The pleasant, happy feeling that he had felt just minutes ago had disappeared. It had been replaced with worry and concern for a little boy about to turn one. "Trini?" he called gently.

"Jason, I can't seem to find the sirloins. I knew I put them in here to keep them away from you, but they've somehow disappeared. If you got into them…"

"Trini," Jason interrupted, "we've got to go to the hospital. Now."

Trini suddenly straightened up. "What? Why? What's wrong Jason?"

"Nathan's just gotten out of surgery. He's had appendicitis. Katherine's left messages on the machine trying to get ahold of us. Kim needs our support."

Nodding, Trini answered, "Of course… Kim's been through so much and now this. We'll grab a bite to eat at McDonald's and eat it on the way over."

The couple left the house much more solemn than they'd been fifteen minutes ago. Kimberly and Nathan were on their minds and in their hearts. They weren't going to let Kimberly down, especially not when she needed them most. They'd been there for her when Andrew was killed, and they were going to be there for her now. Jason tried to turn the conversation to something slightly less depressing. "What do you think Kim will do about Nathan's birthday? It's on Sunday."

Trini sighed. "I don't know, Jase. She probably won't do anything while he's in the hospital recovering. It'd be too much on her. I've a feeling this has all caused her to be too upset to think of that right now."

Jason pursed his lips. The gears were turning in his brain. "It's his first birthday though. He should have something special."

"Even so I don't think that's on Kimberly's mind right now."

Jason turned to look at Trini as he maneuvered down the highway. "Well, what if we organized a little bit of a surprise then?"

Trini had to smile some. "You love that boy too much."

"He's Kim's boy. Besides, you can't help but love him. He's just one of those kids who makes you love them, regardless." Jason suddenly changed topics. "What if we threw a small party in the hospital? He should be there Sunday. We'll get some balloons and a cake and presents. It'll be a small personal party all for him."

Trini thought about this for a minute. "Well, I suppose we could…"

"I'd talk to Kat and Tommy about it, but it'd be a secret from Kim."

"Are you sure that's a good idea?"

"Do you think she'd tell me yes?" asked Jason. "Especially after the Halloween incident?"

Trini chuckled. "Well, when you bring that up, no. Seriously though, I don't know if it's a good idea."

"Kimberly needs the good things in her life. She was doing fine…until this twist of fate. She's always been like a sister to me, and I want to give her what she deserves, and what her son deserves. Nathan deserves a birthday party, hospital or not."

Trini sighed and took a good, long look at Jason. She knew what his face meant. She'd been with him long enough to recognize when he was truly being stubborn. This wasn't a bad kind of stubborn. This was the kind of stubborn look he got when he truly cared about something. Somehow, Jason had developed a strong bond with Nathan, and Trini knew he felt very close to the boy. She would always watch his face light up with a childish delight when he was with Nathan. To her, it seemed as though he was trying to be like a real father to Nathan, the one Nathan had never truly had. "All right, Jason, but nothing too elaborate. Just enough to make it special for him."

"I won't go overboard with it. He just deserves something special and Kim deserves some good in her life."

**Back at the Hospital**

Tommy handed the money to the cashier at the café. He had insisted on paying for the meal, even though Kimberly had protested. It had been his offer he had told her. Kimberly had told him it better not have been some knightly act of his just because she was a female. Tommy had found it very amusing for her to say that. He'd had no idea she'd become so liberal and feminist. He was glad she was joking around some, even if it was at his expense.

"Enjoy your evening," called the cashier pleasantly as the two made their way toward the elevator.

A masculine voice rang out behind them. "Tommy! Kim! Wait up."

The two turned around quickly and were suddenly face to face with Jason and Trini. "We got your message and came as soon as we got home," stated Jason. "We would have been here sooner, but we were gone until just a little while ago. As soon as we heard the message we came here."

Kimberly smiled softly. "Thanks you guys. You've always been there for me."

Jason moved closer to Kimberly and pulled her into a hug. "Always sis, always." He pulled away, only to be replaced by Trini.

"You know we always care about you," Trini whispered into her ear. "You are one of our closest friends."

"Aww…you guys…"

"Come on Kim," urged Tommy softly. "I bet Nathan is awake and ready to see his mommy."

The group made their way toward the elevator, and rode up to the children's wing. They made to enter the door, but were stopped by a tall, yet stocky black haired nurse. "I'm sorry, but visiting hours have passed. You will all have to wait in the waiting room down the hallway." She pointed in the general direction. "Only parents are allowed to be with the children now."

Kimberly turned to her friends. "I'll be back soon… I'll let you know how he is," she said before entering the children's wing.

Jason, Trini, and Tommy watched her follow a path to the infant and toddler room, watching her disappear inside. They then made their way toward the waiting room. Upon entering the salmon colored room they each took seats—Trini and Jason on the plastic couch and Tommy on the plastic chair across from the two. There was a long silence. Jason looked toward the soda machine in the corner and then turned to his wife. "Drink?" he offered.

"No thanks," she replied.

"Drink?" Jason asked Tommy.

"Nah, I had enough at dinner. Thanks anyway."

Jason sighed. He knew this was the perfect time to tell Tommy of his plan. "Hey Tommy?"

"Yeah?"

"I've a great idea in mind…and I want you in on it," began Jason. Tommy leaned closer and Jason began laying out his birthday party plan for Nathan. Tommy nodded and responded, more than happy to help Jason out with his idea. Trini sat back and listened, interjecting with ideas of her own to keep things toned down. She reminded them that going overboard could have bad results for Kimberly. Something simple, yet special was best for Nathan's hospital celebration. By the time Kimberly returned, the trio showed no sign of what they'd been talking about in her absence.

**Tell me what you thought. Next chapter is gonna be a nice mother/son bit...maybe some flashbacks...who knows? And now Jason's got a party to plan...but he's still gotta tell Kat first. And what's taking her so long to return? Did Curio get up to some trouble, or is something else going on?**


	23. Secrets and Bonding

**Yay another chapter from me. I've thrown myself into Energy Express and have dedicated myself to making this summer the best one ever for my kids. That said, I still have time to do this story because I have so many different things running through my head for it. Enjoy this chapter, and read to the end because you'll find not one, but TWO contest announcements!  
**

**Chapter 23**

Katherine rubbed her temples. She didn't know what she was getting herself into. In fact, she didn't know what'd she'd started in the first place. She'd moved out her to get away from what had happened in the past, not be confronted by it again. She set her keys on the table by the answering machine, the red light still blinking menacingly at her. She'd already listened to the message twice, but had saved it, for whatever reason she didn't know. This was stupid. She was the one that had started this. What good would a message do? All she had to do was press the delete button and it would be as though it never had existed. Bitterly she thought of what a diary entry this would make. _Dear diary… Well…internet risks are strange. Mine's gotten me into something completely new, but not unexpected. It's my own fault…_She could see herself going on, scribbling pen to paper as she plotted out her story. What a lovely image indeed.

Curio mewed and rubbed up against Katherine's legs, waving his tail about. Katherine leaned over and gently picked him up, cradling him in her arms. He snuggled up against her, giving her his cutest kitty meow and rubbing his head against her arms. "Hey there, Curio…you want your dinner I bet… did you get in anymore trouble while I was gone?"

Curio looked up at her with big blue kitten eyes, eyes that looked innocent and questioned why she would even contemplate such a foolish thing. Katherine glanced throughout the house, checking for any messes or broken objects. She found none and praised Curio for his good behavior. "Such a good boy today!" she chirped happily. "Now for your din-din. I think someone deserves a bit of wet food tonight."

Katherine made her way to the kitchen and to the cabinet where all of Curio's food and supplies were kept. She pulled out a can of Fancy Feast and pulled off the tab. Into a nearby cat dish went the gooey concoction. Katherine placed the bowl on the floor, next to Curio's water dish. A happy kitten raced to the dish and began gobbling up the food. Curio made slurping noises as he ate, and Katherine watched him, though her mind was elsewhere.

She shook her head and headed toward her bedroom instead, bent on cleaning Curio's litter box. The box was cleverly hidden behind a large potted plant. The box itself was covered with a maroon fabric, and smaller plants adorned the top of it. To the average passerby, the area just looked as though it were Katherine's personal forest in her room. However, it was basically to keep the litter box out of sight. So far, Curio had not fooled with the plants near his litter box, which was amazing, considering the damage he'd done to other things.

Removing the potted plants and the covered lid, Katherine began the dirty deed of cleaning up Curio's mess. It wasn't as bad as it could be. At least he had been litter trained quickly. Then she suddenly remembered why she'd gotten Curio and frowned. He'd been her way of forgetting what had happened in her past. He'd come into her life, bouncing and mewing and creating enough havoc for Katherine to actually forget for the most part. That stupid message had come back to haunt her though. She'd wanted to start over. At least it wasn't from the one person she never wanted to hear from. It was still painful though, and Katherine hated that. She'd thought she was ready to move on, to begin anew with her life. San Rio was supposed to have been that kind of change. San Rio brought her friends back to her. Unfortunately, San Rio did not make the past go away.

It had been a foolish idea of course, to think the past would go away. At least, it wouldn't go away for good. Katherine sighed as she replaced the lid. Things were going to change for the better, they had to change for the better. She just had to take a risk, that was all. She placed the cat mess into a small trash bag and knotted it up. She took it to the kitchen and placed it in the bin marked specifically for Curio's messes. She tapped her chin. She had to make a decision and it was going to have to be soon. She could always try. Her friends would never know either; they didn't know about what she'd truly been up to since they'd seen her last. It would be very easy to concoct lies if she needed to, though she hated lying to her friends. She couldn't tell them though, not yet. She wasn't ready to do so.

Grabbing a piece of paper and a pen, she returned to the answering machine and pressed the play button. The message rang out loud and clear and Katherine copied down the necessary information, including the telephone number at the end of the message. She wouldn't call just yet. She'd wait until tomorrow, but her mind was made up and there was no turning back. She would try, regardless of what the outcome might be.

**Hospital**

Kimberly walked slowly toward the infant and toddler room, uncertain of what she'd find. She knew the nurse was behind her and felt uneasy. It was intimidating for her, but she tried to ignore it. She was going to see her little boy, and he was going to be okay. He'd had the surgery and he wouldn't be sick anymore, at least not like he had the past few days. She shuddered at the thought of some of the messes she'd had to deal with, and felt sorry for what Katherine had been put through earlier. Katherine hadn't complained though; she'd just taken care of Nathan, no questions asked. Kimberly was truly grateful for the help; she'd been running on empty as it was. A yawn crossed her lips as she thought of the sleepless nights she'd had. Sleep would be a good thing tonight.

As she entered the room, Kimberly noticed that the lights had been dimmed somewhat for another infant sleeping in another corner of the room. She didn't recall seeing the baby earlier, and there were no parents near the child. Her quick glimpse revealed that the child had jet-black hair and was sleeping soundly in her crib cage. Her eyes turned to where Nathan's bed had been earlier, and she saw his form inside. She could tell he was sitting up in his bed, fooling with his fingers. He hadn't noticed anyone else enter the room. Kimberly made her way to his crib and saw that the metal bars were latched down to keep him in his bed without someone keeping too close of an eye on him. He was wearing only his diaper, his clothes from before tucked away somewhere.

Nathan finally noticed her presence and looked at her, reaching his fingers through the bars. He wanted to be picked up and held. Kimberly studied the bars, trying to figure out where the release latch was. She heard someone step up beside her. It was the nurse, who found the release latch below the crib. The bars moved apart and Nathan's hands leaned out for his mommy.

"You must hold him in a certain way," stated the nurse in a gentle tone. She pointed to the stitches and tube attached to where Nathan's appendix had been. "You cannot do anything to jar his stomach. It would cause him pain. She moved next to Kimberly and picked Nathan up from behind. "You hold him like this, being careful of his surgery area at all times."

Kimberly nodded and held her arms out for her son. The nurse gently placed him in her arms and the very moment Nathan's warm skin was against her shirt she smiled, a small smile that slowly grew bigger. Here was her boy, and he was okay. He was going to be fine and he wouldn't die. He wouldn't leave her all alone in the world. She loved her son, more than anything and losing him would be a heartbreak she couldn't bear.

Nathan looked up at his mommy, trying to turn and snuggle against her warmth, but her hand held him gently, yet firmly in place. He soon stopped struggling, as it was making him tired to do so. Kimberly watched his eyes struggle to stay open at times and smiled softly. "My bubby's such a brave boy," she whispered into his ear. "Mommy's so proud of you and so glad that you're okay. We were all worried about you." Kimberly eyes glanced over to the left of the inside of the crib, where Nathan's brand new teddy bear from Tommy lay. She reached over and picked it up. Nathan instantly reached for the bear, clutching it in his tiny hands. Kimberly fingered the plaid and denim fabrics that dressed the bear, finally feeling the bear's soft fur. A few tears escaped her eyes and it was a minute or so before she noticed she was even crying.

"Oh baby…I was so scared I'd lose you, so scared you'd be taken from me. I wish I would have found all of this sooner. Maybe it wouldn't have developed so much then and you would have already been out of the hospital…"

"Ma'am?" interjected the nurse.

"Yes?" sniffled Kimberly.

"I'm going to go inform the doctor that you are with your son. He would like to speak with you now that Nathan is out of surgery and on his way to recovering."

"All right," replied Kimberly. She heard the nurse's retreating footsteps, but didn't care. She was finally alone with her son, who was currently patting her wet cheek. She looked down at him, and he seemed to know that she was upset and scared. She turned her head and kissed the palm of his hand gently, which made him giggle. She noticed he'd dropped his teddy bear and crouched down gently to pick it up. "What do you say we give your new bear a name?" she asked Nathan.

Nathan's response was to wrap his arms around the bear again and give it a kiss. Or it at least looked like a kiss to Kimberly. She smiled again. "Hmm… Tommy got it for you so… we should give it a name that somehow connects to him. A name flashed into her mind and she smiled. "Why don't we call him Tiger? Silly name for a bear, but hey, it's cute. Do you like Tiger, bubby?" Nathan gave a small babble in response, which Kimberly took as a yes. "Tiger it is then."

A throat was cleared behind her. "Excuse me," said a male voice gently. "I'm Dr. Turner. I'd like to speak with you about Nathan."

Kimberly turned around and was met by a tall man, blonde sandy hair and a pair of thin rimmed glasses atop his nose. He held a clipboard in his hand, which Kimberly presumed to be Nathan's file. She set Nathan inside the crib with Tiger, but still kept her arm around him. "Yes?"

"Nathan's surgery went very well. We had no trouble removing the enflamed appendix. It was a good thing you caught it when you did. One, maybe two days at most, more and it would have ruptured. He's recovering just fine, but we'll need to keep him here for three more days to make sure the fluid drains properly from the incision and doesn't become infected. If all goes well he can be released on the 13th. A nurse is gathering a tray of food for him now I believe. Are there any questions you'd like to ask?"

"Is there any chance he'd be released sooner?" asked Kimberly, stroking Nathan's right side.

"No, I'm afraid not. It is very crucial that we make sure the fluid drains properly. The other factor is his age. He is very young…" Here the doctor looked down at his clipboard. "Twelve months come Sunday. It is essential he is kept here for observation."

"Thank you, doctor."

"Is there anything I can do for you?" he asked in a kind voice.

"No, I don't think so," replied Kimberly. "But can I stay the night with my son?"

The doctor shook his head and Kimberly's heart dropped into her stomach. "I'm afraid that with the limited amount of space here we cannot allow parents to stay the night with their child. There are hotels nearby though and you may come in at anytime after 5 AM. I wish I could let you stay, but the children's wing has even less space than the rest of the hospital. We are expecting three more infants and toddlers later tonight being transferred from another hospital."

"What about that child over there?" asked Kimberly. The little girl inside perked up and peered out the side of her crib.

"I'm afraid I cannot tell you too much, but that little girl is from the Reefside Orphanage. She's been here for a few days now, being treated for illness."

"Might I ask her name?" inquired Kimberly.

"Taylor. She's a bright child of sorts, but she's prone to bouts of anger at times. She's made as many friends with the nurses as she has enemies. You either get her good or bad side when you're with her." Here he chuckled. "I believe she's showing off for you." The little girl still looked out the side of her crib, and Kimberly noticed what big green eyes she had, even in the dimmed lighting. She looked beautiful for an infant. "If you'll excuse me, I've more rounds to make in the children's wing. If you ever need anything though, just let me know, all right?"

"I will," answered Kimberly. "Thank you very much for all you've done for Nathan."

The doctor turned to leave and a nurse entered the room right after him. She carried a small tray of food and took it over to Nathan's crib. She attached it to the side and then pulled out a kind of seat from underneath the bed. It was a special seat for infants. This particular seat strapped higher on the body and wouldn't bother Nathan's surgical wound. Kimberly placed Nathan in the seat and allowed the nurse to strap him in. It was then that she got a good look at the nurse, who appeared to be an older woman in her mid-fifties or so. "Would you like to feed him? I'm sure he'll eat better for you than he would for me," spoke up the nurse.

Kimberly smiled and looked over the food on the tray. "What will he be eating?" she asked as she gazed down at the plate of various colored baby foods.

"He'll be eating a specialized meal for babies his age. There's a country chicken dinner in the largest space, strawberry applesauce in the one to your right, and sweet potatoes in the space on the left. There's also whole milk in the container beside the tray, with a choice of bottle or sipper cup, depending on what he uses."

"Thank you very much. He'll probably use both…I'm working to wean him, but he's still preferring his bottle right now."

The nurse smiled. "I will check on the other babies while you feed him. If you need me, just give me a call. I'll take away his things when he's finished. We want to see if he'll get sick from consuming food after his surgery. Don't be alarmed if he doesn't want to eat too much. It's normal." The nurse then left Kimberly to her business, moving around the room clock-wise and checking in on all the infants and toddlers. The ones that were awake she played with and those that slept she made sure were tucked into their cribs.

Kimberly fed Nathan, who ate slower than normal, but he was at least eating. Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed the nurse pull a book from under Taylor's bed and begin to read to her. From the very few glimpses Kimberly stole, she noticed Taylor enjoying the book, which she recognized as being _The Cat in the Hat_. Nathan was listening as well. Kimberly watched his eyes drift over to the nurse as she fed him. He soon pushed away his food, only having eaten half of it. He also refused the bottle and sipper cup. "Not hungry, eh?" she whispered to him as she cleaned up his hands and face. "I know you'll be hungry soon enough. That little bit won't tide you over for very long." She carefully lifted him from his seat and placed him into his crib.

The nurse returned to Kimberly and stored the special seat under the crib. She began to gather up the contents on the tray to return to the kitchen. Kimberly turned her attention back to Nathan. "Give mommy a kiss," she cooed to him. Nathan leaned over to give her a kiss, but pulled back at the last moment. "Oooooh someone's being a rotten boy!" she teased him.

Nathan laughed at her voice and Kimberly smiled. She knew she'd have to go soon, but she didn't want to think about that. All that mattered was the little boy in front of her at this very moment.

**I hope you enjoyed that chapter. Just what is Kat's secret and why is it so hard? What's up with her past?**

**CONTEST TIME! I have two contests for you, dear readers. The first one has no title, but is for the 200th reviewer. Whoever is that lucky person will get a oneshot written for them. There are a few guidelines, however. The pairing must either be Kim/Kat or Kim/Tommy. The story plot must be able to be put into 5 pages or less and something I am capable of writing. Many of you have seen my works and know angst is my best. Further details will be sent to the 200th reviewer when that occurs.**

**Second contest! This one is called "Nathan's Dribbles" (play on drabbles for those who are not pun savvy). The rules are this: Write me a oneshot that is 500 words or more. There are no other rules, but grammar and spelling will be part of my judgement. It is my feeling that bad grammar/spelling takes away from the enjoyment of a story. Many of you know my favorite characters to use in a PR fic, so appealing to that part of me is always good. Winner receives a cameo spot in the story. This contest shall run until September 30, 2007 to give everyone plenty of time to submit. Send all submissions to my email address listed in my profile.  
**


	24. Count on Us

**Yes, it's taken me awhile to get this chapter up. I was busy finishing up Energy Express and packing up for the next semester of college, which I leave for in less than a week now. I was also creating a notebook of notes for this story, as I was starting to forget small details. This chapter was harder for me to write than most; I was finishing it so that I could start in on the next bit, which will not only focus on Kimberly, but also Katherine. Enjoy and review.**

**Chapter 24 Count on Us**

Katherine ran quickly for the entrance to the hospital. The rain was coming down in torrents and she was becoming more soaked by the minute. The storm had come up suddenly just as she'd pulled into the parking lot, though menacing storm clouds had been looming over the area since she'd left her home. Her tennis shoes squished against the wet pavement, splashing through the quickly forming puddles. She had no umbrella, and nothing else to cover her head with. Her eyes quickly scanned through the parking lot as she crossed various sections until finally stepping onto the sidewalk and into the building.

Her first reaction upon entering was to shiver before trying to shake much of the rain on her body off. The rain was cold against her warm skin, and her clothes had begun to stick to her. She once again reminded herself to always keep an umbrella in the car for cases just like this. Then again, she'd said that the last time and did she remember to actually do it? Nope. Shaking some of the excess water from her hands, she made her way through the lobby and took the elevator to the children's room. She walked beyond the room when she saw the sign that told of visitor hours being over. She heard voices down the hall, coming from a room that was labeled as the waiting room. They sounded familiar, but she knew it was her friends when she heard someone call out Jason's name.

"Kat! You made it back!" called out Tommy as she entered the room.

"Heh, yeah. There's a big storm that just suddenly came up. I got soaked because I didn't have my umbrella."

Jason took his feet off the seat across from him. "Sit and relax."

"Thanks," smiled Katherine. She took a seat across from Jason and squeezed some of the water from her hair. "Not exactly a good time to go out and play."

"What took you so long?" asked Tommy.

"I…errr… Curio had made a mess of some of the plants near his litter box," lied Katherine. She mentally cursed at herself for that slipup. She didn't want to lie to her closest friends, but this wasn't the place to tell the truth.

"Curio's always causing trouble, isn't he?" asked Tommy with a laugh.

Katherine gave a nervous laugh. "Of course he is. How's Nathan doing?" She figured a safe topic change would keep her from acting so strange around her friends.

"All we know is that he's safely out of surgery. Kim's with him now so we should hear some news soon," replied Tommy with a smile.

"That's great!"

"We've also been doing some…er…planning," added Jason.

"Planning for what?" asked Katherine.

"Nathan's birthday party," answered Jason with a smile.

"Is that a good idea?"

Trini spoke up. "Jason's agreed that we'll keep it low-key and not be overwhelming to either Kimberly or Nathan. He wants to simply celebrate a special day in Nathan's life."

"All right. What's your idea, Jason?" asked Katherine.

Jason started to speak, but before he could, the group heard soft footsteps coming down the hallway. He shook his head toward Katherine, afraid it'd be Kimberly's footsteps. He didn't want the plan revealed to her. He quickly racked his brain for a new subject change. Sports, the news, politics… He spied a magazine on the nearby table, a parenting magazine to be exact. The front page headline exclaimed about… breast feeding or formula, a debate that only mothers would be able to answer best, without ever giving a true answer. "Well, would you look at this?" he asked lamely, holding up the magazine.

Tommy suppressed his laughter by covering his mouth with his hand. "That's… that's…"

"Is there something you're not telling us, dear?" asked Trini, not missing a chance to join in on the fun. "Are you joining in the debate with the rest of the mothers 'round the country?"

"Yes, which _do_ you prefer?" asked Tommy, now snickering.

Katherine watching, impartial to the entire scene before her, but certainly amused. Poor Jason. An image of Jason breast feeding some random infant in her mind made her crinkle her nose, then, her eyes widened. A scrap of memory came forcefully to her brain. _"He's given me a child…but I don't want it…I'll keep it for now, then give it up after birth…and the child will grow, never knowing the guilt that its mother placed upon another…"_ She shook her head to clear the memory away, and it disappeared as quickly as it had come.

A brunette head peeked around the corner, and Trini was the first to speak up. "Kim!" she called out in a soft voice. "How's Nathan?"

Kimberly looked her friends over, before taking a seat near them. "He's sleeping now… I held him in my arms until he simply conked out after his dinner. He didn't want to let go; I didn't want to let him go either. He looks so fragile in that crib, with the tube in his stomach." She gave a sad smile. "If all goes well, he'll be out the day after his birthday…"

For a moment, the group was silent, letting the news wash over them and sink in. They noticed the few tears trickle down Kimberly's face, and Katherine, who was closest, moved to give her a gentle hug. "The worst is over," she whispered softly into Kimberly's ear. Comforting Kim further took her mind off the painful memory that had occurred moments before.

"And just think," added Tommy, "He's turning one on Sunday… he'll be an almost toddler then."

Kimberly gave a small smile. "An almost toddler?" she asked.

"Yes," replied Tommy. "Halfway between zero and two. Soon he'll be walking and talking too."

"Just think of all you've done for him" spoke up Trini. "What luck he has to have such a wonderful mother.." She quieted as soon as she said that, for Kimberly broke down then in Katherine's arms and Tommy held Kimberly with Katherine.

"No, no… I almost let him die… I should have caught it sooner, should have done something to see what was wrong! I acted like a fool, just thinking it was an ordinary flu bug!"

"Kimberly, Kim, listen to me, to us. There was nothing you could have done to change things. It wasn't your fault. You did your best," whispered Tommy in a soothing manner.

"You did all you could have done, Kim. You caught it in time and now he's going to be all right," added Katherine.

"But what if I hadn't?" continued Kimberly. "What if I hadn't and it had ruptured and he'd died?"

Trini slipped from her seat and knelt in front of Kimberly, her right hand squeezing Kimberly's knee. "You can't keep focusing on the what-ifs, Kim. You need to focus on what did happen, and hope for a speedy recovery for your son. Right now, that's the most important thing."

Jason knelt beside his wife. "You know he's right, Kim," she whispered. "Nathan needs all the prayers we can give him right now. You did what you thought was right. You can't change that. You can't dwell in the past; it'll eat you up inside."

Kimberly continued to sob in Tommy's arms; her friends kept near to her, not leaving her side. If one had walked by, they would have seen a group of people surrounding a sobbing mother, comfort auras radiating from the area. Slowly, Kimberly's sobs turned into sniffles and hiccups. Her friends kept near to her, still not letting her move.

Kimberly eventually opened her eyes and looked up at Tommy, meeting his soft brown eyes. He gave her a reassuring smile. She moved her head slowly, looking to Katherine, then Jason, and finally Trini. She moved her head to look up at Tommy again, but instantly felt a twinge of pain shoot through her forehead. She'd cried so much that'd she'd given herself a headache. She rose her right hand to her forehead, rubbing her temples in a gentle back and forth manner. That helped somewhat, but not by much.

Tommy saw her discomfort. "What's wrong, Kim?" he whispered into her ear.

"My head…I've cried so much I've given myself a headache," she replied back in the same tone. As she spoke, her friends removed themselves from around her, returning to their seats. Only Tommy kept his arms around her; Jason and Trini exchanged a secretive glance at each other, the kind that only a husband and wife know what is being said between each other.

"I've aspirin in my car," replied Katherine, "but I doubt it's stopped raining very much. It was just getting started when I came in."

"I've some in my purse," spoke up Trini. She pointed to the small bag at her side, its strap still around her neck. "I always keep some on hand, just in case." She began to rifle through the bag, her hand emerging triumphantly holding a small bottle of Tylenol. She handed the bottle over to Kimberly, who quickly opened the bottle and popped two into her mouth. She handed bottle back to Trini and closed her eyes as she swallowed the pills, hoping they wouldn't get stuck in her throat.

Trini replaced the bottle in her purse and then turned to look at Kimberly again, but it was Katherine who spoke. "Are you staying with him tonight?" she asked softly.

Kimberly shook her head sadly, and Katherine thought she saw tears forming in her eyes again. "They don't have room for parents to stay over, especially not in the infant and toddler room. I can come back as early as 5 AM to see him; that's the best they can do," she explained, her voice wavering.

"Would you like someone to stay with you?" asked Katherine gently. "Or will you find a hotel in the area?"

"I… I think I'll go home for the night…" answered Kimberly, as though uncertain of what she truly wanted.

Tommy gave Kimberly a gentle squeeze. He wanted to be the one to offer to stay with her, but felt it'd be too awkward. He didn't know how well she'd welcome him into her home, no matter how well she'd accepted him since she'd moved to San Rio. He wasn't wanting to make things confusing, and didn't want Kimberly to get the wrong idea about his offer. He thought quickly instead, searching for an excuse to use. He knew that doing so would give Katherine a chance to take care of Kimberly instead.

"Would you like one of us to stay with you? Like Tommy?" continued Katherine.

Excuse in mind, Tommy spoke up. "I'm sorry, but I can't. I've Saturday detention again this weekend and there's no way I can cancel on it. I'm very sorry, Kimberly." It hurt him to lie to her face, but he had no choice. It wasn't his place yet to comfort in that manner. Someday, but not now. He knew that Kimberly would be fine in Katherine's capable hands, and that was what mattered to him most.

"Then what about me?" asked Katherine.

Kimberly nodded her head slowly. "Yes…I'd like that. Thank you, Kat." Kimberly tried to smile at Katherine, but it turned into a neutral line on her face.

Jason smiled at the group. "Then it's settled. Kimberly will have Katherine's watchful eye tonight. Shall we all meet up again here tomorrow?"

Trini nudged Jason in the shoulder, letting him know he was a little too happy. Jason barely flinched, but got the message from his wife. "We'll surprise Nathan with a visit. We're free all day. What time does detention end, Tommy?"

"Noon," replied Tommy in a cool manner.

"We'll meet up here at 12:30 then. Does that work?" asked Trini.

"Perfect," answered Tommy.

"We'll see you guys here then," answered Katherine. "I'm sure Kimberly will be back here as soon as she's able to be." Kimberly nodded, confirming Katherine's answer.

The group rose and stretched; Tommy helped to steady Kimberly on her feet before releasing his hold on her. Kimberly wiped at her eyes, trying to rid the evidence that she'd been crying. It was one thing to cry in front of her friends, but a wholly different thing to have strangers see the tell tale tear trails and red marks upon her face. "Thank you," she whispered to the group.

Trini looked at Kimberly and smiled. "There's no thanks needed, Kim. We're your friends. We're always gonna be there for you. Thanks is one of those unnecessary words when it comes to your friends. You can always count on us."

"That's right," continued Jason. "You've got all of us on your side. We're one giant family after all of these years."

Katherine chuckled. "I think she gets the idea, Jason. You're going to turn it into something corny if you're not careful."

Tommy nodded. "She's right bro. Stop while you're ahead."

The group laughed again, and began to make their way out of the waiting room. They continued to the first floor together, and parted ways once they came upon the parking lot. The rain had slowed down some, but was nevertheless pouring down. Katherine and Kimberly headed to Katherine's Taurus, which was parked near the middle of the parking lot. They half walked, half ran to escape the rain, each greatly relieved when they finally sat inside the vehicle, out of the rain.

**Very nice, no? Please leave me your review and if you like, ideas for future bits in the fic. I'm always on the lookout for new ones that I might be able to work in. Just make sure it follows the story I've set up so far, and isn't too crazy. Remember, you can still enter in the "Nathan's Dribbles" contest, and I still haven't gotten a 200th reviewer... maybe it'll happen if you review this chapter?... Until the next update!**


	25. Katherine's Link

**I was really inspired to write this chapter after I finished the other one, and so it got done pretty quickly. This might be the last chapter for a little bit. I go back to school the 15th and the first day of classes is the 20th. I suppose it'll all depend on what my free time turns out to be and how rough school's going to be this semester. Just hang in there; I'll get more done. I realized I forgot to mention that I've been doing this fic over a year now and it's still going strong. I do know it's taking longer to finish than Windmill, but I like to take my time with things and plan them out. I've also discovered that the more time I take in between, the more plot ideas I end up with for this bit.**

**Congratulations to nightlancer6000. He was the 200th reviewer and therefore is the one to receive a oneshot featuring either Kim/Kat or Kim/Tommy. Please contact me within two weeks or the prize will go to someone else. Enjoy the chapter!  
**

**Chapter 25 Katherine's Link **

As soon as the two were safely inside Kimberly's front door and out of the rain, Katherine immediately pointed toward the bathroom. "Hot shower. Now. No excuses."

Kimberly was too tired to argue; she'd started to doze off while Katherine made the slow drive back home. The rain hadn't let up and was still pouring as steadily as it had before they'd left the hospital. Kimberly wanted to let herself go under the hot water and then fall into bed and sleep away the misery she felt at being separated from Nathan for the night. It was different now, being separated from him. Before, he'd been away at the babysitter's or at Jason and Trini's. Kimberly wasn't missing him so much then as she was now. She knew then that he was okay, that he was a fine, healthy boy who wasn't lying in some hospital crib while she was left to stay at home. She trudged toward the bathroom, closing the door behind her.

Katherine sighed and flopped down on the couch. A yawn escaped her lips and she moved her hand to cover it. She felt hopeless at the moment. She knew that no matter what she did, nothing would take Kimberly's mind off Nathan. Yet, she knew it wouldn't be right if that did happen. She racked her brain for something, anything. She then remembered the packets of green tea she had placed in her car; they had been samples she'd received at the mall, and she'd carelessly thrown them into the glove compartment. She wasn't a big fan of decaffeinated green tea, but perhaps it'd soothe Kimberly's nerves a bit. At least, that was what she hoped. She rose to make her way back outside in the pouring rain.

Ten minutes later, Katherine was finishing dunking the two tea bags into the boiling water, carefully placing them into the trashcan. She set the mugs aside to cool a bit, and hoped that Kimberly would finish her shower soon. Katherine looked about the house, trying to find something to occupy her mind with. She wandered back into the living room and noticed a door was cracked open, a room she hadn't seen before. She made her way across the living room and peeked inside, only to discover it was the laundry room. Clothes were piled in a basket, ready to be washed. There were at least a week's worth of clothing accumulated there. On the table nearby, there was a small pile of laundry that had been laid out after drying, but never had been folded. Katherine decided to start the load of unwashed laundry, sorting through colors, whites, and delicates before throwing all of the colors together in the machine. She added the laundry soap, and then started the machine, hearing it rumble to life. She turned around and nearly jumped out of her skin.

Kimberly stood there, toweling her hair dry; she had changed into a pair of light blue lounging pants and a white t-shirt. "What are you doing?" she asked softly.

Katherine looked at her, like a schoolgirl would at being caught for cheating on a test or stealing a small trinket. "I…was washing the clothes. I hope you don't mind…I just didn't like to see them all stacked up in here and thought I'd help out a bit. I'm sorry if I shouldn't have interfered."

Kimberly shook her head. "No, it's fine. I haven't… I haven't had time to do the laundry yet…" she trailed off, before turning to leave the room.

Katherine moved closer to her. "Kim, don't be so distant… you don't have to pull away from everything…"

"I'm not being distant in the least, Katherine."

"Then why leave so suddenly and give me the cold shoulder?"

Kimberly looked at Katherine, observing her for a minute before answering the question. "All I want is my son," she whispered softly. "That's all I want…" Katherine saw a tear trickle down Kimberly's left cheek and instantly regretted what she'd said.

"Kim, I'm sorry. I don't know what came over me… how about you go get in bed and I'll bring you something to calm your nerves?"

"All right," replied Kimberly as she walked toward her bedroom. Katherine turned off the light in the laundry room and went to the kitchen to retrieve the two mugs of green tea, which had by now stopped steaming so much. Katherine picked up the mugs, feeling the almost instant warmth radiating from them. She made her way slowly to Kimberly's bedroom, stepping inside the doorframe and into the soft glow of the lampshade.

Kimberly was curled up under the covers, and Katherine noticed that her eyes were focused intently on the wall in front of her. "Hey," she called softly. Kimberly turned her head slightly to look over at Katherine and Katherine thought she saw a smile, but couldn't be sure in the dim light. "I've brought you some green tea to help you relax…don't worry there's no caffeine in this so you should sleep easy." She crossed the floor to the bedside, and held out a mug to Kimberly.

Pushing herself up into a sitting position, Kimberly reached out for the mug and then cradled it in her hands. She lifted it slowly to her lips and took a sip, closing her eyes to enjoy the drink as the warm liquid ran down her throat. Katherine sipped from her mug as well, keeping an eye on Kimberly. She sat down on the edge of the bed. "Better?"

Kimberly nodded slowly. "Thank you. I can't say that enough," she replied.

Katherine patted Kimberly's sheet covered leg. "Like we all said before, there's no thanks needed. You get some rest and I'll sleep on the couch in the living room tonight when I'm finished with everything."

"No…" answered Kimberly, shaking her head.

Katherine looked at her. "Then where should I sleep?"

"You can just…share my bed. It's plenty big for both of us. That couch isn't the most comfortable thing to sleep on."

Katherine nodded. "Of course. Goodnight, Kim." She closed the door behind her gently and walked back into the living room, sipping on her green tea. She didn't really care for the stuff; it was more of a show than anything. She didn't return to the bedroom until two hours later, when she was certain Kimberly would be asleep. She slipped under the covers and sighed to herself. Kimberly had curled herself up into a ball and had pulled the sheets and comforter around her petite body, as though protecting herself from any more harm that might come her way. Katherine closed her eyes. Things could only go up from here.

**Next Morning **

Katherine waved to Kimberly as she dropped her off outside the hospital entrance. It was seven in the morning, and Katherine had an hour to kill before returning to the hospital. Kimberly had asked her to return when visiting hours began, instead of returning at the agreed time by the rest. Katherine didn't mind; it did give her time to run home to change her clothing, shower, and take care of Curio before returning once again. The only reason she'd driven Kimberly to the hospital was because they'd agreed it be easier just taking one vehicle. Of course, that was also after Kimberly had asked her to stay the next few nights until Nathan could return home. Katherine could understand it. Kimberly was lonely, and Katherine was the only one, besides Tommy, who was able to stay with her. Katherine knew that Kimberly still felt awkward asking Tommy; she sensed it when she asked Kimberly about it that very morning, but Kimberly offered no response.

She dropped her keys wearily onto the hallway table as soon as she walked in the door. She hadn't slept all too well last night; her dreams had interfered and tarnished what little sleep she had claimed for herself. She looked up and noticed the answering machine was blinking again, or had she not cleared the message the first time? She pressed play and the message from the night before was played to her again. She then saw the piece of paper in front of the machine and remembered she was going to call back today. She had promised herself that much, but she didn't know if she was ready to go through with it.

She looked toward the telephone, which sat in its cradle. She willed her fingers to move and pick it up, but they didn't listen. She bit her lip. This wasn't high school anymore. She shouldn't be so nervous, so scared, but she was. Her fingers reached out, then quickly retracted. Maybe in a bit… after she'd showered. Yes, that was the answer. She'd shower first and then call back. She glanced up at the clock. Besides, it was too early as it was. That would make her look even more foolish. That is, if her voice didn't give her away.

**Later, Hospital **

Katherine made her way to the children's wing, where she'd agreed to meet Kimberly. It was finally eight o'clock. She entered a room full of children laughing and playing and made her way toward the infant and toddler room, where she heard a mixture of cries, babbling, and laughter. She entered the room and looked for Kimberly, finding her beside Nathan's crib. Nathan was playing with a teddy bear and Kimberly was speaking softly to him. Katherine smiled and looked around the room at the other babies. Some were still sleeping, and others were playing, either in their cribs or with a nurse. One child was hitting a nurse with her rattle, seemingly babbling angrily.

"Kat! Hey!" called Kimberly from her spot. Nathan turned his head to look at her.

"Look Nathan. See who it is? Wave to Kat," encouraged Kimberly.

Nathan didn't wave at Katherine. Kimberly picked up his right hand and waved it for him. Nathan tried to pull his hand away, and Kimberly let go. Nathan instantly grabbed his teddy bear again and then threw it to the ground. "Uh oh," he called out and then laughed at himself.

Kimberly bent over and picked up the teddy bear. "This is not dropsies you silly boy," she replied to him in a baby voice. "You shouldn't let Tiger fall like that."

Nathan giggled and dropped Tiger again. "Uh-oh!" he called again. This time, Katherine retrieved the bear from the floor and handed it back to him. "Well, at least she isn't arguing over you about taking the car keys," joked Katherine. "She wouldn't be able to hold them over your head very well, now would she?"

"Don't give my son any ideas about my height," replied Kimberly. "I'm still taller than him right now."

Katherine smiled and laughed. "Okay I won't." She turned around when a nurse called out in pain. There was that same little girl again, rattle in hand. She still kept trying to hit the nurse, even when the nurse moved away. Katherine moved closer to the nurse. "Are you all right?" she asked the woman, who was holding her head where the baby had hit her.

The nurse looked up and smiled. "I'll be fine in a few minutes. Taylor is just having one of her days again. It's something you get used to after awhile. All these babies, all these different personalities."

Katherine moved closer to the crib and looked at Taylor. Taylor looked up at her with big green eyes and Katherine smiled at her. "Hey there…are you being a rotten girl?" she asked in a gentle voice.

As if to emphasize the nurse's statement, Taylor tossed her rattle at Katherine, but missed. It landed on the floor with a loud clattering. "Seems as if today is Dropsies Day," remarked Katherine as she knelt down to pick up the rattle. As she rose to her feet again, she noticed Taylor's chart attached to her crib. Her eyes skimmed it over, but what quickly caught her attention at the top of the chart was Taylor's name. "Taylor Elizabeth Rivella," Katherine murmured to herself. She stood and handed Taylor back the rattle and that's when it hit her full force. She backed away from the crib slowly. "No…no it can't be," she whispered. "She couldn't have…she wouldn't have…." Katherine turned away from Taylor. She couldn't bare to look at the girl while her mind was on fast forward. She turned and quickly walked out of the room.

"Kat! Katherine!" Kimberly called after her, but Katherine didn't acknowledge her. Kimberly placed Nathan in his crib again, quickly latching up the front before chasing after Katherine. She emerged into the hallway and glanced around. Katherine was heading for the elevator, and Kimberly quickly took off after her. She arrived at the elevator as the doors were beginning to close and stuck her hand inside. Katherine was the only one inside the elevator. Kimberly slipped inside with her. "What's going on Katherine? Why'd you take off like that?"

Katherine refused to look at her, keeping her eyes averted to the wall, waiting patiently for the elevator to stop at ground level. It did, and she exited quickly, Kimberly barely keeping up to follow after her. She reached out and grabbed Katherine's arm. "Katherine, stop. What is going on?"

Katherine finally turned to look at her, and Kimberly saw the tears that threatened to fall. " Taylor. Taylor shouldn't have been born."

Kat, what are you talking about? Taylor's just one of the children from the orphanage. She's had pneumonia and is being treated here."

The tears started to fall. "That's even worse. You don't understand. Taylor should never have been born."

Kimberly glanced around her and spotted an empty bench against one of the walls. She pulled Katherine to it and sat her down. "She's just some child, Kat. We know nothing about her, or where she came from."

Katherine gazed into Kimberly's eyes. "You don't know anything about her."

"Do you?" asked Kimberly.

Katherine nodded and more tears fell. "She's the revenge."

"What?" asked Kimberly.

"The revenge. Lacie's revenge on me. She told me she'd have a child and give it a particular name so that if I ever came across the child, I'd always be reminded of my past and what happened, that'd I'd never be able to forget even if I wanted to. It was her way of making me remember her, remember my past with her, and remember what she did to cause all of this to happen. Taylor was brought into this world not to be loved, but brought into it out of spite. She was only born to be the revenge, and nothing more. Her life is going to be a living hell, and all because of what happened and what I did to her because of what she did to me."

**Well isn't that a lovely twist? Hmm... now should you all find out the history behind it or not?... I only tease! Leave a review :)**


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